Question: With reference to the report ‘State of Working India 2021: One Year of ovid-19’ released by Azim Prem Ji University in May 2021, consider the following statements-
(a) This report outlines the effects of COVID-19 on employment, income inequality and poverty in India over a period of one year.
(b) This report also examines the effectiveness of the policy measures that have been taken so far to provide relief and assistance.
(c) The data in this report pertains to the period between January 2019 and May 2021.
(d) The monthly income of workers has declined by an average of 32 per cent during the pandemic.
Considering the above given statements choose the true statement-
(a) 1 and 3
(b) 2 and 4
(c) 1 and 2
(d) 3 and 4
Answer—(c)
related facts
- A report titled ‘State of Working India 2021: One Year of COVID-19’ has been published by Azim Premji University, Center for Sustainable Employment, Bangalore in May 2021.
Key points of the report are given below —-
- As the pandemic and the eventual lockdowns wreaked havoc on the economy and livelihoods, around 23 crore Indians have been pushed into poverty during the past one year.
- The number of individuals who lie below the national minimum wage threshold (Rs 375 per day as recommended by the Anoop Satpathy committee) increased by 230 million during the pandemic.
- It noted that though incomes fell across the board, the pandemic has taken a far heavier toll on poorer households. In April and May, the poorest 20 per cent of households lost their entire incomes.
- In contrast, the richer households suffered losses of less than a quarter of their pre-pandemic incomes. Over the entire eight-month period (March to October), an average household in the bottom 10 per cent lost Rs 15,700, or just over two months’ income.
- About 1.5 crore workers remained out of work by the end of 2020. About 10 crore people lost jobs during the nationwide April-May 2020 lockdown.
- Incomes also remained depressed. Average monthly household income per capita in October 2020 (Rs 4,979) was still below its level in January 2020 (Rs 5,989).