Economy | Citizen Matters

As harvest season draws near, will it be business as usual for the agricultural sector?

April 9, 2020 Vijaya Pushkarna

Some relaxation from the lockdown has been granted to ensure harvesting gets done, along with detailed health guidelines from the ICAR, with the promise that every grain that reaches the market will be procured.

Shimla: Corona fears cast shadow over Himachal’s apple produce

April 6, 2020 Ashwani Sharma

The worry among Himachal’s fruit growers is not just that the coronavirus lockdown will affect the apple orchards, but also the farms growing cherries, pomegranate and green almonds, all of which normally hit the market in July-August.

“If lockdown is extended, economic consequence could be worse than health consequence”

April 6, 2020 Rishabh Shrivastava

In an exclusive interview with Citizen Matters, Shekhar Tomar, Asst Professor of Business and Public Policy at the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad, says economic decision makers must chalk out a clear blueprint on how to respond to the economic crisis which could linger even after the lockdown ends.

Mumbai youth group urges support for the poor as they face starvation, job cuts along with COVID risk

April 2, 2020 Anuja Sirohi

Youth for Unity and Voluntary Action (YUVA) conducted a rapid assessment in over 20 settlements across Greater Mumbai where low-income communities live and work, and found that they not only face risk of disease, but a threat to basic sustenance in the face of the coronavirus outbreak.

Coronavirus may go, but issues faced by migrant workers will remain

April 2, 2020 Harsha Raj Gatty

Interstate migrant workers form the backbone of the local economy, yet they have long been a faceless, voiceless community suffering due to hopelessly inadequate social security and class discrimination. The human crisis created by the coronavirus outbreak and resulting lockdown is just the manifestation of these deep-rooted issues.

Coronavirus relief for the economy: What the Centre can and should do

March 24, 2020 Vijaya Pushkarna

Citizen Matters shares the recommendations of two experts on the immediate steps that the Centre can take to provide relief to those whose income has dried up because of the virus outbreak.

A deeper look into Kerala’s 20,000-crore relief package to beat COVID blues

March 24, 2020 N V Ravindranathan Nair

With the economy on the verge of collapse, the state government has taken three immediate steps: cash relief to BPL families, a consumer loan scheme to be managed by women, and a push for rural employment guarantee schemes.

Mumbai 24X7: Maximum city now open for maximum hours of the day

February 14, 2020 Azkeya Tase

In line with a government decision aimed at promoting tourism, Mumbai — the city that never sleeps — is running a pilot project that allows select malls and eateries to stay open all day and night. A week after the experiment started, we asked citizens and businesses about their experience.

In Srinagar, houseboats and their builders face extinction

February 12, 2020 Abid Bashir Wani

On one hand, strict High Court guidelines prohibit new registration of houseboats in Dal and Nigeen lakes in Srinagar. On the other, there are just three master craftsmen left, who can build these boats, the older ones among which are in decrepit state.

Chandigarh: Resettled vendors rue lack of business and facilities in new vending zones

February 10, 2020 Raj Machhan

The main grouse appears to be around the location of the new zone; those allowed to operate in original sites, or relocated to sites near market areas, appear satisfied with the new regulation even if they have seen marginal decline in business.

How the Chandigarh Municipality raked in Rs 21 crore from its street vendor regularisation plan

February 10, 2020 Raj Machhan

Chandigarh ranks first among Union Territories and third among the states in the CCS Progress Report on Implementing the Street Vendors Act 2014. Here’s what it has done to regularise street vending in the city, and what that means for the city corporation.

Mumbai’s housing conundrum: Unsold houses, sky-high prices

January 11, 2020 Hepzi Anthony

6.48 lakh houses remained unsold across India’s top seven cities in 2019, and Mumbai alone accounted for nearly a third of these. Yet scarcity of affordable housing pushes people further and further away from the city. What could explain this?

From boom to bust: Bhiwandi’s textile industry woes

January 8, 2020 Azkeya Tase

During its heyday, Bhiwandi, in Thane district, had the highest cluster of powerlooms in the country, and was a huge employment hub with workers hailing from different states. Today this once-thriving business is facing extinction. What does Bhiwandi tell us about small scale industry in the country today?

Turning fridges to agricultural fields: Mangalore school kids’ unique urban farming experiment

January 5, 2020 Harsha Raj Gatty

The ‘thermally insulated’ compartments of unused, discarded refrigerators are being used as eco-friendly pots for growing a variety of vegetables on the ‘rooftop garden’ of Sayyed Madani Urdu Higher Primary School. The produce contributes significantly to mid day meals prepared in the school.

18000 crore rupees, nearly 5 lakh jobs lost as Kashmir reels under internet suspension

January 3, 2020 Abid Bashir Wani

Those are just the figures since August 5th, as quoted in a report from the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Underlying these figures is the angst of thousands who did not get their salaries, students who struggled to prepare for crucial exams and many more.