Economy

Odisha has just added another first to its credit. While others are only talking about putting money in the hands of people, chief minister Naveen Pattnaik announced an Urban Wage Employment Initiative (UWEI) scheme to help the informal work force in the state’s 114 urban local bodies. The initiative envisages immediate execution of all labour intensive projects in the ULBs in the state, with an allocation of Rs 100 crore, including Rs 10 crore to the Bhubaneswar Municipal corporation, to be spent on wages of workers working on these projects during April to September. The state government’s Urban Development and…

Karnataka sold over Rs. 45 Crore worth of alcohol on the first day of the re-opening of standalone liquor shops on May 4. The figure surprised many and photographs of people waiting in long queues did the rounds on social media. However, the shock and awe proved to be short-lived, as the state made Rs. 197 Crore in sales, marking a 337% spike from the first day. Bengaluru too experienced a similar rush. Just one store in the city, Tonique, reportedly made over Rs. 4 Crore - or close to 10% of the state's total in sales just on the…

With little takers for fresh milk from cows, Lingesh* (name changed on request), a cattle rearer and milk producer in Selaiyur, sold five out of his 35 cattle for Rs 1 lakh three weeks ago. More than a month has gone by under lockdown and his losses are mounting.  “During normal times, selling a cow would fetch me at least Rs 35,000. As the lockdown has affected my finances badly, I did not have a choice but to settle for whatever the buyer offered,” he said. A large number of people in the city prefer buying milk from these milk…

Anupama Provisions, Akbar Fruits and Vegetables, Kumar Mutton - let’s admit it,  not many of us can recount the names of the small retail shops right next to our homes. Standalone shops, vegetable and fruit stalls, some with carpet area of just 200 sq ft claiming to be mini-supermarkets. Never mind the obscure names of these shops or their enterprising abilities - when malls and supermarket chains in prime areas almost shuttered operations during COVID-19 lockdown, these corner shops became the go-to-outlets for the local residents to cater their daily needs. Unlike many other businesses, these shops which sell essentials…

As the second most populous country in the world, and among the most densely populated, India continues to be at high risk of spread of the extremely contagious novel coronavirus disease, with millions vulnerable. Hence, the Indian government announced a stringent lockdown from March 25 until May 3, on all activity except delivery of essential services. Even as the lockdown has been extended to May 17, the government has now initiated phased lifting of restrictions in various locations based on the severity of the spread. As of May 3, Tamil Nadu had more than 3000 cases with Chennai being one…

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…