COVID-19 pandemic accelerated class inequalities and poverty in India. Comment.

Answer

Approach:IntroductionWrite about the inequality in India quoting some relevant fact or data. Add a statement that the pandemic has increased inequalities.BodyMention the various dimensions in which the inequalities and poverty has increased due to the pandemic.ConclusionConclude with some government initiatives to counter this widening inequality and suggestions if any.

Introduction

Inequality was alarmingly high and destabilizing social and political order in much of the world even before the pandemic struck. According to theOxfam’s Report “Survival of the Richest: The India story”, the richest 1% in India now own more than 40% of the country’s total wealth, while the bottom half of the population together share just 3% of wealth between 2012 and 2021.

But the Covid-19 pandemic deeply increased the existing inequalities in India and around the world, as per the Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International.

Body

Impact of the Pandemic on Class Inequalities & Poverty

• Poverty would increase significantly:As per aUNDPstudy, severe long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic could push an additional 207 million people into extreme poverty, bringing the total to over 1 billion by 2030.


• Poor will become poorer:TheWorld Bankestimates that this pandemic will push an additional 88 – 115 million people into extreme poverty with the total rising to about 150 million by 2021. The new poor would be in countries already having high poverty rates.


• The lower paid workers lost jobs:As per theWorld Economic Forum, the rich were able to escape the pandemic’s worst impact; the white-collar workers isolated themselves and worked from home. However, the lower paid blue-collar workers like migrant workers, street vendors and daily wage earners were more marginalized as they could not earn anything within the confines of their homes neither did they have any financial safety net.


• Increased dependence on informal sector: According to theILO,over 400 million people risk sliding into poverty, as they are forced to depend on informal work.


• Food insecurity: TheWorld Bankand theFAOhave said that food insecurity has spiked post-Covid in India and almost 50% of the Indian population is vulnerable to extreme poverty.


• Inequality in access to health care:The disadvantaged and marginalized groups, such as those living in rural areas and slums, faced greater barriers in accessing quality care.


• Gender inequality widened:The unemployment rate among women rose post-Covid. The CMIE estimates that the labor participation rate for women shrunk to 11% for women. Beyond income and job losses, poorer women also suffered from poor health because of the disruption in regular health services and Anganwadi centers.


• Digital inequality: As perAnnual Status of Education Report (ASER), just one-third of the students could access online education. Even fewer students can take live online classes.

Conclusion

Thus, it is clear that Covid-19 has increased existing inequalities at multiple fronts. Growing inequality undermines democracy and democratic processes. It is ultimately good neither for the society nor the economy. In order to combat the ill effects of Covid-19, the government has launched PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana and AtmaNirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. However, undoing the impacts of Covid-19 will certainly not be a short-term process. There is a need for policies and interventions that address these challenges and promote greater social and economic inclusion and equality.