Vice President M Hamid Ansari has observed that the government has a constitutional and moral duty to expand opportunities for the deprived sections of society.

Addressing the 97th birthday celebrations of Justice V R Krishna Iyer in Kochi today, Mr Ansari said inequality is a problem in the long run, especially when it kills aspiration for personal and societal betterment.

He noted that while growth is a necessary condition for societal welfare, it does not automatically lead to equality in accessing development and opportunities for growth.

Mr Ansari said real incomes of the top percentile across developed and emerging countries have grown disproportionately higher, exacerbating income inequalities.

He noted that income distribution has worsened despite the great strides in narrowing the gaps in health and educational achievement across population groups.