Mayawati asked the government to ensure employment for weaker sections of the society.

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Sunday said that the condition of people from underprivileged communities like Dalits is deteriorating because of India's economic slowdown. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister appealed to the centre and the state governments to create employment for these sections by filling vacancies in government-run institutions.

"In our country, the economic condition of SCs (Scheduled Castes), STs (Scheduled Tribes), OBCs (Other Backward Classes) and upper caste poor is continuously deteriorating due to the economic slowdown. I urge the central government as well as the state governments to pay special attention to these neglected sections of the society and provide them with all the benefits by introducing new schemes in order to eradicate poverty," she tweeted.

"In addition, I also want centre and the state government to fill up the vacant quota seats of the government-run institutions by giving these people employment. The administration must carry out special campaigns for the same. These moves will improve their economic conditions slightly. These kinds of steps are also important in the interest of the country," she said in another tweet.

On Saturday, the BSP chief had expressed concerns over the economy and said that a "recession" is looming over the country.

"In the midst of serious issues like widespread unemployment, poverty, price rise, illiteracy, health, tensions/violence, the threat of an economic recession is looming over the country," she wrote on Twitter.

"The trader community is dejected and worried. After job cuts, they are forced to commit suicide. The Centre must take this seriously," she said in another tweet.

India's economic growth slowed to a five-year low of 5.8 per cent in the January-March quarter as a result of sluggish domestic and global demand and little growth in private investment.

Earlier this week, the country's passenger vehicle sales dropped at steepest pace in nearly two decades underscoring a major crisis in the critical auto sector.

Some manufacturing sectors such as leather goods, garments, finished steel, plastic material and edible oil recorded price falls ranging from 0.09 per cent to 6.57 per cent in July from a year ago, indicating weak demand is likely to be hitting corporate profit margins.

(With inputs from agencies)