- At the cost of sounding like a stuck record, the pandemic-induced economic challenges are so severe and exhaustive that it continues to suffocate the majority of the citizens even after a semblance of normalcy is returning everywhere after a lull. The Covid-19 threat has subsided significantly over the last few weeks in the Indian context is not only heartening but also provides welcome hopes of picking up scattered threads in right earnest. Of course, the experts are sounding warning notes of a potential wave striking the nation in the coming months only if a new variant emerges. Thankfully, it appears unlikely as of now.
PC: Atlantaregional
- Every individual, irrespective of work and/or business, would not like any more disturbances, hurdles, challenges, irritants, and not the least, imposition of restrictions curtailing the momentum being witnessed after all these months. Unquestioningly, each of us has had nothing else but to reveal devastating aftereffects due to the suffocating lockdowns thrust on us. Unfortunately, there are unscrupulous elements who wish to fish in troubled waters by coming out with clarion calls for observing Bandhs. Note that the two-day Bharat Bandh called by a joint platform of central trade unions got off recently to a very uneven start across states.
- For the uninitiated, the agenda of the protesting unions include both staple fare such as an end to privatization and also a higher budgetary allocation for MGNREGA. Yes, it sounds so cliched and antiquated to hear again about the beaten to death topics. As expected, the patchy response to a wide agenda aimed at canvassing broad support tells a tale in itself. It’s that the unions represent a sliver of the workforce. Mind you, their irrelevance to the larger workforce, organized sector workers are just about 13% of the total labour supply, is only matched by the Government of India’s 14-year legislation to provide social security for unorganized workers.
PC: Anouk Amar
- Who can ever forget the long trek home for millions of migrant workers after the imposition of a harsh national lockdown at short notice two years ago symbolizing the precariousness of their jobs? Moreover, tragic worker deaths in incidents like factory or godown fires speak of their conditions which is deplorable and inhuman. Sadly, the pandemic has worsened their lot despite the Government of India’s attempts beginning in October 2020 to provide limited-duration fiscal support to create jobs with social security benefits. However, a year into the policy, the majority of urban jobs were either casual labour or self-employed.
- Further, about 51% of urban employed belonged to these two categories in the July-September 2021 quarter as per the GOI data. This signifies a higher proportion than the pre-pandemic level where the labor force stands at 436 million strong. Of it, 32 million were unemployed and actively seeking work where the age composition shows a skewed ratio. As many as 30 million out of 32 million were in the 15-29 age group suggesting a sudden collapse for older age groups. It denotes many Indians end up in jobs with poor work conditions and low pay. What is the way out then? Only sustained high economic growth and investment in enhancing human capital will help. As such, bandhs should be abhorred and detested with force.
