Economy

Migrant workers in Mahadevapura. Pic credit: Senthil S and Maraa. Different people wanted different concessions during the total lockdown that lasted till May 3. While some wanted basic necessities like grain, some others wanted liquor shops to open. There was a unique request that went completely unheard. It was from the poor who did not even have money for basic needs: This section wanted pawn shops in the city to open so they could sell their little possessions and jewellery for some petty cash. The cash crisis among the poor in Bengaluru is so severe that Indira Canteens – where…

Translated by Vadivu Mahendran ஏப்ரல் 15 என்பது தமிழ்நாட்டில் ஆண்டுதோறும் மீன்பிடிப்புக்கு விதிக்கப்படும் 60 நாள் இழுவைத்தடையின் தொடக்கத்தைக் குறிக்கும் நாளாகும். இத்தடையானது இயந்திரவிசை கொண்ட படகுகளை வைத்துள்ள மீனவர்கள் கடலுக்குள் செல்வதைக் கட்டுப்படுத்துகிறது. இத்தடையானது சென்னைக் கடற்கரையோரம் குறைந்த பட்ச படகுகளே கடலுக்குள் செல்வதை அனுமதிக்கும். ஆனால் இவ்வருடம் அப்படியல்ல! 15 ஆம் தேதி வங்காள விரிகுடா செயல்பாடுகளால் பரபரப்பாக இருந்தது. நாடு தழுவிய ஊரடங்கின் முதல் கட்டமான 21 நாள் அடைப்பிற்குப் பிறகு ஏராளமான மீனவர்கள் (விசைப்படகுகள் இன்னும் தடைசெய்யப்பட்ட நிலையில்தான் உள்ளன) கடலுக்குள் பயணம் செய்தனர். ஊரடங்கு மேலும் 18 நாட்களுக்கு நீட்டிக்கப்பட்டிருந்தபோதிலும் மீன்பிடித்தல் மற்றும் பிறகடல்சார் நடவடிக்கைகளுக்கு விலக்கு அளிப்பதற்கான மத்திய அரசின் நடவடிக்கை இந்த மூன்று வார உள்ளிருப்பில் திவாலான ஆயிரக்கணக்கான மீனவர்களுக்கு ஒரு நம்பிக்கை கொண்டு வந்தது. "ஊரடங்கு சுனாமியை விட மோசமானது" எஸ். எத்திராஜ் என்கிற 32 வயதான மீனவர்,…

With orders from educational institutions and automobile industries, the month of April usually promises flourishing business for printing press owners. Like many others', their familiar flow of life has been rudely jolted this year, with the nationwide lockdown in the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic. To put it simply in a nutshell, it amounts to an everyday loss of revenue of Rs 5.1 crore for the printing press economy in the city!  Printing is a booming business with more than 10,000 units in the city -- 7000 small and 3000 established presses, according to business experts. The COVID-triggered slump…

With just 170 positive cases of coronavirus disease in the state, Bihar as a whole and Patna in particular (barring the two contamination zones of Khajpura and Sultanganj) are comparatively well suited, when it comes to relaxing lockdown rules to enable some economic activity as per the Centre’s guidelines. But whatever partial relaxation has been allowed has brought little relief to the poor of Patna, which is not surprising given the many inconsistencies in the guidelines. For instance, the guidelines allows plumbers, electricians, carpenters, daily wages workers and highway dhabas to ply their business. But with all other shops being…

M Kadar Mohideen was chuffed over the expansion of his small eatery Midnight Biriyani. Just a week before the lockdown, he had opened the new Arumbakkam outlet and was looking forward to thriving business. But his hopes were dashed as the lockdown was announced.  Being a new entrant in the food business in Chennai, Kadar is worried whether he will be able to recoup the heavy losses. He is unwilling to partner with delivery agents owing to the uncertainty, but he wants to ensure that none of his employees go hungry, which pushed him to sell fruits and vegetables. Kadar…

Odisha is primarily a rural economy, with 83% of the state’s population living in rural areas as per the 2011 census, and dependent for their livelihood primarily on agriculture and allied activities. Not surprisingly, the state's first steps have been to open up activities in agriculture, rural housing and MGNREGA work. Around 20% of Bhubaneswar’s daily wage labourers working in both the formal and informal sectors have returned to their villages while those left behind remain dependent for their survival on the cooked food and rations, besides groceries and vegetables being provided by the city authorities. Daily wage labourers who…

Lakhs of street vendors in Bengaluru have been badly impacted due to the lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19. We are on the 30th day of lockdown, and 90% of the city's street vendors have not been able to carry out their livelihood as they would during normal circumstances.  There are several news reports of migrant workers being stranded without wages and food. However, street vendors are also facing a similar situation. Neither can they carry out their sole means of earning, which is street vending, nor do not have an employer from whom they can demand wages. “If…

Just days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a nationwide lockdown from March 24, states like Punjab and Telangana were looking forward to a bumper harvest and smiles on the faces of their farmers. And on the faces of the owners and workers in West Bengal’s labour intensive jute mills. But the lockdown dashed everyone’s hopes. Farmers are unsure of how and who will procure their products. Especially given the acute lack of jute bags, given the complete shut down of West Bengal’s jute industry, putting lakhs of its workers out of jobs and income. It is during harvest time…

April 15th is the day that marks the beginning of the annual 60-day trawling ban in Tamil Nadu. A ban that restricts fishermen with mechanised boats from venturing into the sea. A ban that sees fewer boats getting into the sea along the coastline of Chennai. Not this year! The Bay of Bengal was abuzz with activity on the 15th when scores of fishermen (mechanised boats are still banned) sailed into the sea after 21 days of the first phase of the nation-wide lockdown. While the lockdown was extended for another 18 days, the central government’s move to exempt fishing…

The coronavirus pandemic that has swept the globe is perhaps going to be recorded in history as the most impactful and consequential event of this century. It has stretched the capacities of governance, public health infrastructure and social administration of affected nations to their limits. At the same time, the lockdown enforced to prevent the spread has brought economies to the ground and jeopardised the job prospects of many. With unemployment soaring during these tough times, recent graduates waiting in the wings and looking for their first job feel marooned. According to the All India Survey of Higher Education by…