The article focuses on the life of Damsari Ozre, an ASHA (accredited social health activist) in Velgaon, India, highlighting the challenges she faces balancing her government health job with extensive unpaid domestic work. It underscores the broader issue of gender disparities in India, where women disproportionately bear the burden of unpaid care and domestic tasks. The article references an upcoming Oxfam India report, 'Mind the Gap', which discusses India's lack of investment in social care and the resulting overreliance on women to perform these duties. It also cites OECD data showing Indian women spend significantly more time on domestic work than men and more than women in other BRICS countries. This is part one of a five-part series on structural inequalities and gender disparities in India.

The article discusses the paradox of India's potential to have the world's largest workforce by 2030 and the persistent issue of child malnutrition, which threatens to undermine this demographic advantage. It highlights the case of Zaina, a malnourished child from Mumbai's Shivaji Nagar slum, to illustrate the severity of the problem. Despite economic growth, malnutrition levels remain high, with stunting affecting cognitive and physical development. The article critiques the government's inadequate response, including the neglect of early childhood development schemes and insufficient healthcare expenditure. It also addresses the role of NGOs like Apnalaya in filling gaps left by the government. The piece underscores the economic implications of malnutrition, the social inequality it perpetuates, and the need for political will to prioritize child welfare. It concludes with a note on recent government initiatives like the National Nutrition Mission and the Swachh Bharat campaign, which aim to tackle malnutrition and improve sanitation.

The article discusses the impact of US sanctions on Iran and the subsequent halt of Iranian oil imports by India, which is likely to increase fuel costs and hurt the Indian economy. India, being the world's third-largest oil consumer, relied on Iran for cheap crude oil, which accounted for up to 10% of its imports. The sanctions could lead to a rise in India's energy import bill, widen its current account deficit, and potentially depreciate the rupee. The Indian government may have to choose between stabilizing fuel prices or allowing them to rise with market forces. The article also touches on the potential of renewable energy in India, noting the country's aim to build 175 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2022 and the significant foreign investment it has attracted. However, challenges remain, such as integrating this power into the national grid and avoiding future financial burdens from battery imports.

The article discusses the paradox of higher education and unemployment in India. Despite the country's economic growth, graduates are facing higher unemployment rates than the national average. The Azim Premji University's Centre for Sustainable Employment reports that graduates are twice as likely to be unemployed. Contributing factors include poor education standards, burdensome corporate regulation, and a large informal economy. The government's efforts to increase higher education enrollment and provide vocational training have not clearly translated into job creation. Graduates are also becoming choosier, unwilling to settle for low-skilled jobs. The article highlights the challenges faced by graduates like Rohit Singh, who aspires to stand out with an MBA, amidst concerns about the quality of education and the skills gap reported by employers. The government's skilling programs have been criticized for lacking clarity on outcomes. Despite these challenges, Singh remains hopeful that hard work will lead to success.

The feminisation of agriculture in rural areas, exemplified by the situation in Pimplad village, Nashik, is problematic as it confines women to low-paid, insecure, and oppressive labor relations. With the sale of farmland for development, Dalit families like Kamal Gangrude's lose vital laboring jobs, which previously provided assured work during the monsoon season.

An analysis of a new dataset shows that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress (Congress) have had a similar number of dynastic MPs in the Lok Sabha over the past two decades. Despite the BJP's younger political age, it is statistically as dynastic as Congress when controlling for age. The phenomenon of political dynasties is common across all major parties in India. The 15th Lok Sabha was the most dynastic yet, and the trend of dynastic politicians is on the rise. The article discusses the implications of dynastic politics on democracy and the electoral system, suggesting that reforms in election finance and nomination processes could create a more open political environment.

An analysis of a new dataset containing biographical profiles of all 4,807 parliamentarians since India's first parliament in 1952 reveals that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress (Congress) have had a similar number of 'dynasts' among their elected MPs over the past two decades. The Congress had 36 dynastic MPs elected to the Lok Sabha since 1999, while the BJP had 31. The 15th Lok Sabha, starting in 2009, was noted as the most 'dynastic' term, with 53 MPs having family ties to politicians.

A Pew Research Centre survey indicates that over 70% of Indians consider the lack of employment opportunities and rising prices as the country's most pressing challenges. The unemployment rate in India is at a 45-year high, with 7.8% in urban areas and 5.3% in rural areas, based on a leaked National Sample Survey Office report for 2017-18.

In India, women's unpaid work is crucial for economic activity, yet it remains unrecognized and undervalued, contributing to gender inequality and poverty. Women like Damsari Ozre in rural Maharashtra balance domestic chores with government health jobs, facing 'time poverty' and health impacts due to the double burden of work. Despite economic growth, women's participation in the workforce has declined, exacerbated by a lack of infrastructure, gender biases, and social norms. Government schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Matritva Vandana Yojana and Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme have been criticized for poor execution and inadequate support for women. Addressing childcare, flexible work, and gender attitudes is essential for redistributing unpaid work and improving women's economic and social status.

Indian cities dominate the list of the world's most polluted cities in 2018, with 15 out of the top 20, according to a Greenpeace and IQ AirVisual report. Gurugram is the most polluted, followed by Ghaziabad. The report highlights PM 2.5 as a major health risk, with northern India and Pakistan cities experiencing high levels. Despite Delhi's media coverage, other cities like Patna and Lucknow have higher PM 2.5 levels. The National Clean Air Programme aims to reduce PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels by 20-30% by 2024, but faces challenges in implementation and lacks a legal mandate. China's progress in air quality improvement is noted, suggesting a path forward for India.

Reforms to India's inheritance laws from 1970 to 1990, intended to empower women by providing equal rights to ancestral property, have inadvertently led to increased female foeticide and higher female infant mortality rates. A study involving researchers from King’s College University, New York University, and the University of Essex, published in the Journal of Development Economics, found that girls born post-reform were more likely to die before their first birthday and were more likely to have a younger sibling if the firstborn was a girl. The study analyzed data from the National Family Health Survey and the Rural Economic and Demographic Survey, comparing families in states that amended the Hindu Succession Act early with those in states that reformed later. Despite legal changes, social norms and son preference remained strong, with families fearing increased costs for daughters and preferring sons for economic security and old-age care. The study suggests that a multi-pronged approach focused on empowerment, education, and targeted social welfare schemes is necessary to reduce discrimination against women.

Reforms to India's inheritance laws from 1970 to 1990, intended to improve women's socio-economic status, have been linked to an increase in female foeticide and higher female infant-mortality rates. A 2018 study analyzing the desire for a second child in families where the first child was a girl supports this finding. The Economic Survey 2017-18 corroborates the study, indicating that an estimated 63 million women are 'missing' in India.

In the 2018 state elections in India, women's representation in legislative assemblies decreased to 9% from 11% in the 2013-14 elections, with only 62 women elected out of 678 MLAs. Despite more women candidates running, their success rate did not increase proportionally. Chhattisgarh was the only state with an increase in female MLAs. Major parties like Congress and BJP fielded a low percentage of women candidates, and the Congress will have the highest number of women MLAs across the five states. The article includes comments from Rithika Kumar, a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, emphasizing the need for more women in legislative roles.

India has become the largest source country for international migrants globally, with an estimated 17 million Indians living abroad in 2017, a significant increase from 7 million in 1990. This 143% rise in migration coincides with a 522% increase in India's per capita income, suggesting that more Indians have the financial means to seek employment opportunities overseas due to insufficient prospects at home.

Health experts have praised the Punjab government's decision to lift the ban on syringe sales without prescription, a move initially aimed at curbing drug abuse but criticized for potentially increasing the risk of infectious diseases. Advocates are urging the adoption of auto-disable syringes to prevent reuse. Punjab faces a severe drug epidemic, exacerbated by factors such as its location near the Golden Crescent and high youth unemployment. Recent government measures include recommending the death penalty for first-time drug traffickers and mandatory drug tests for government employees. The state is also considering technology solutions like auto-disable syringes to improve injection safety.