Impact of COVID-19 lockdown and associated relief measures on casual workers in India

Abstract

The nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic has mostadversely affected the working classes in India. It has left lakhs of poor migrants stranded incities without work or money, thousands of daily wage households have been left withoutfood supplies and many more are torn with anxiety about how to stave off shortages andimminent hunger. Scores of reports pouring in from across the country are a testament to the lack of preparation and planning by state governments and by the Central government. One of the biggest challenges that policymakers- Central and State governments face at this time is a policy response to alleviate the challenges of workers in the unorganised sector due to the lockdown. One of the biggest obstacles to a sound policy response is the lack of data on these workers, especially construction workers, small shopkeepers and street vendors, hotel and restaurant workers, and transport workers.