The Aadhaar universal ID has been rolled out to general applause and will soon change our lives across the board. The project should accomplish its mission, which is to improve the delivery of rural welfare. It may liberate the poor and marginalised from the cash economy and give them access to formal finance and banking. And if the ID is made mandatory for big transactions, it may reduce money laundering...

KEY TRENDS   • Maternal Mortality Ratio for India was 370 in 2000, 286 in 2005, 210 in 2010, 158 in 2015 and 145 in 2017. Therefore, the MMRatio for the country decreased by almost 61 percent between 2000 and 2017 *14    • As per the NSS 71st round, among rural females aged 5-29 years, the main reasons for dropping out/ discontinuance were: engagement in domestic activities, not interested in education, financial constraints and marriage. Among rural males aged...

State-owned banks in India have been accused of discriminating against the country's Muslim minority. India's minorities watchdog has received a record number of complaints from Muslims who say they have been prevented from opening bank accounts. India's Muslim community is among the poorest in the country. Some bankers say it is not so much their religious background, but their economic status that makes it hard for Muslims to get banking facilities. The National Commission...

India is incredible (after shining), with the fastest growth rate, an emerging demographic dividend and innovative brains for the globe. But the vast majority in rural India — employed in agriculture, small-scale and tiny industries, self-employed, and with no assets — does not find it so. This government, claiming inclusive growth for the grossly deprived and poor, has not taken actions to bring down prices of essential food items, unprecedented...

Inadequate socio-economic infrastructure is the major cause for the backwardness of Muslims in 90 districts, which has a concentration of the community, across the country, according to a survey conducted by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR). In its interim report submitted to the Union Ministry for Minority Affairs, the ICSSR said lack of access to educational institutions, inadequate number of educational institutions, a low literacy rate among parents...