Social Problems in India: Dowry, Divorce, Corruption, Poverty, Prostitution, Unemployment, Drug Addiction

Key Points at a Glance

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   Dowry is property or cash given by the bride's family to the groom's family; the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 prohibits giving or taking dowry with punishment up to 5 years imprisonment and/or fine of ₹15,000 or the dowry value (whichever is higher).

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   IPC Section 498A (added 1983) criminalises cruelty by husband or his relatives towards wife, including dowry harassment; Section 304B deals with dowry death (death within 7 years of marriage in suspicious circumstances — presumed dowry death).

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   Divorce rates in India are low by global standards (~1.1 per 1,000 population) but rising; the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 provides grounds including adultery, cruelty, desertion (2 years), and conversion; Triple Talaq (instant oral divorce) was criminalised by the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019.

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   Corruption in India is estimated to cost 5% of GDP annually; Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2023 ranked India 93rd out of 180 countries with a score of 39/100; the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (amended 2018) is the primary anti-corruption law.

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   Poverty in India: NITI Aayog's 2023 MPI (Multidimensional Poverty Index) report shows 11.28% Indians are multidimensionally poor (down from 29.17% in 2013-14); Tendulkar Committee (2009) measured poverty by calorie-based consumption; current official line uses Suresh Tendulkar methodology.

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   Unemployment in India: PLFS (Periodic Labour Force Survey) 2022-23 shows Unemployment Rate (UR) of 3.2% (usual status); youth unemployment (15–29 years) stands at 10% in urban areas; structural, frictional, cyclical, and disguised unemployment are the four main types in Indian context.

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   Drug addiction in India: The National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC) 2019 survey estimated 16 crore people use alcohol harmfully; 3.1 crore use cannabis; 2.26 crore use opioids; Punjab, Rajasthan, and Northeast states show highest heroin/opioid use prevalence.

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   Prostitution in India — the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 (ITPA), amended 1986, does not criminalise prostitution per se but prohibits running brothels, pimping, and soliciting in public places; the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2022 recorded 2,189 cases under ITPA.

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   Causes of social problems are inter-linked: patriarchy perpetuates dowry and gender violence; economic inequality drives poverty and prostitution; political patronage enables corruption; urbanisation without employment creates unemployment; social alienation fuels drug addiction.

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    Key government initiatives against corruption: Right to Information Act, 2005 (empowers citizens to demand accountability); Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 (independent ombudsman); PFMS (Public Financial Management System) — direct benefit transfers to reduce leakage; Whistleblower Protection Act, 2014.

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    Unemployment schemes: MGNREGS (100 days guaranteed rural employment); PM Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) — skill training for youth; Startup India (2016) — entrepreneurship; National Career Service (NCS) Portal — job matching; Atmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana — EPFO subsidies for COVID-19 recovery employment.

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    NDPS Act, 1985 (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act) is the primary law governing drug abuse in India; it prohibits manufacture, possession, sale, and consumption of narcotic drugs; punishment ranges from 6 months to 20 years depending on quantity; NITI Aayog's Drug Demand Reduction strategy (2021) focuses on prevention, treatment, and community-based rehabilitation.