Sat Mar 31, 2007 7:42 pm (PST)
[John Dayal's initial comments: The Indian government
agency NSSO survey made public last night proves
and confirms what the Catholic Union and Christian
Council have always said based on their own
spot surveys nationwide -- that Christian prosperity
in a very few metropolitan cities is a mere
shimmer that hides utter poverty, unemployment,
under employment and illiteracy among the vast
rural masses who are mostly Dalit and tribals
and may constitute over 90 per cent of the population
of Christians in the country. It is significant
to note that in spite of all the schools Catholics
and Protestants run in the country, illiteracy
is still a problem in both urban and rural areas.
In some areas, illiteracy is more than thirty
per cent -- which means one in every three Christians
in illiterate. The figure for women is much
more 9n tribal and Dalit areas.
The survey also shows very categorically how
vulnerable Christians are because they are employed
in the service sector. The figure for self-
employment is the lowest for them. If a Sachchar
committee had focussed on Christians, or even
if the Justice Misra commission had an economic
and development charter, the grim reality of
the Christians would have been exposed. Even
what has come is cause enough for the church
and Christians leaders to think about. They
have to take urgent steps and set their priorities
correct.
While I am on the job, may I also express our
disappointment at the Supreme Court staying
the implementation of the OBC reservations.
Christians in many states would have benefited
from such reservations in central institutions
as they come under OBC and Most Backward communities
groupings. I am surprised that the established
church has not come out and demanded that the
Supreme Court show sensitivity towards the aspirations
of the poor and the deprived.] Times of India
reported today: NSSO report may add to quota
woes Mahendra Kumar Singh
[ 30 Mar, 2007 TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]
NEW DELHI: In what could further fuel the reservation
demand from minorities, the latest survey of
the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO)
reveals that the unemployment rate among Christians
is higher than among Muslims and lowest among
Hindus. The NSSO report, made public on Friday,
with its findings on the status of employment
belonging to major religious groups, suggests
that in rural areas, the unemployment rate was
4.4% among Christians, 2.3% among Muslims and
1.5% among Hindus. In urban areas too, Christians
were more prone to unemployment than those from
other major religious groups. However, the unemployment
rate in urban areas was a little more for Hindus
at 4.4% than for Muslims at 4.1%. Further, the
rate for women was generally higher in all major
religious groups as compared to men in both
rural and urban areas. Unemployment was highest
(14%) among urban Christian women. This is despite
the fact that the survey also shows that Christians
had the lowest illiteracy rate both in rural
(20% for men and 31% for women) as well as urban
areas (6% for men and 11% for women).
Except for rural women, the proportion of literates
among Hindus was higher than that among Muslims.
Among men in the rural areas, the literacy rate
for Hindus and Muslims was 68% and 63%, respectively.
In case of urban men, the literacy rate for
Hindus and Muslims was 89% and 77%, respectively.
Among women in urban areas, the literacy rate
for Hindus and Muslims was 73% and 60%. Among
rural females, the illiteracy rate was almost
equal among Hindus and Muslims (59%). According
to the survey, nearly half the Muslims living
in urban areas are self-employed, while the
incidence of wage employment is higher among
Hindus and Christians. In 2004-05, when the
survey was conducted, about 49% of Muslim households
in urban areas were self- employed as against
36% Hindu households and 27% Christian households.
In urban areas, the survey highlights that
only 30% of Muslim households worked for regular
wages as compared to 43% Hindu households and
47% Christian households. It pointed out that
14% Muslim households worked as casual labourers
as compared to 12% Hindus and 11% Christians.
In rural areas, the worker population ratio
(WPR) among men was the highest among Christians
(56%), followed by Hindus (55%) and Muslims
(50%). The WPR for women in rural areas was
36% for Christians, 34% for Hindus and 18% for
Muslims. The WPR among men in urban areas was
the highest for Hindus (56%) followed by Muslims
(53%) and Christians (51%). The WPR for Christian
women was 24%, followed by Hindus (17%) and
Muslims (12%).
