Abstract
The spread of the corona-virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and subsequent nationwide lockdown in India from March 22, 2020 to control its further outbreak brought turmoil in the lives of millions who are primarily involved in the informal sector. A primary survey was conducted in the District of South 24 Pgs. in the state of West Bengal, India to know the effects of COVID-19 on rural livelihood, particularly of the migrant workers. Types of disruptions of rural livelihood of the households have been explored in the study. Perceptions of the effects of shocks of COVID-19 on the rural households have been assessed in terms of the following variables: loss of assets, loss of income, food insecurity/shortage, death of livestock, decline in consumption, decline in health conditions, socialization, effects on education, problems in accessing health facilities. Types of government supports provided to the households have been found for the study area. The role of the government in overcoming the crisis of livelihood has also been assessed.
TopIntroduction
The spread of the Corona-virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), and subsequent nationwide lockdown in India from March 22, 2020 to control its further outbreak brought turmoil in the lives of millions who are primarily involved in the informal sector. With the growing joblessness in India, International Labour Organisation (ILO) stated that with a vast share of people working in the informal economy in India, millions of workers in the informal economy are at the risk of falling deeper into poverty during the crisis.
Interstate and district borders were sealed on 29th March, 2020, transportation got stopped, factories, shops, restaurants and all types of the economic activities were shut, barring only the essential services. Most of the migrant workers are daily wage earners and work in MSMEs and construction sector. In both these sectors, they are not protected by good health facilities and proper shelter. They altogether remain outside the legal cover under the name ‘The Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979. Almost forty millions of workers in India went jobless because of lockdown. COVID-19 is impacting global food systems, disrupting regional agricultural value chains, and posing risks to household food security. COVID-19 has affected the Indian economy as well as the livelihood of the migrant workers working in the informal sector.
In this chapter, we conducted a survey in the district of South 24 Pgs. in the state of West Bengal India, to know the of COVID-19 on rural livelihood, particularly of the migrant workers. The data have been collected from the households where the main occupations of the heads of the households are migrant workers and daily laborers. The number of sample households taken for the present study is 150. The blocks in the district where the primary survey were conducted are Patharpratima, Kakdwip and Namkhana.
The major objectives of this chapter are as follows: (i) The effects of COVID-19 on migrant workers in India, (ii) Types of disruptions rural livelihood, (iii) Effects of shocks, (iv) Types of government support provided to the households.
There are few studies on the effect of COVID-19 in the informal sector of the economy. Mitra (2020) highlighted the livelihood losses and increase in unemployment in India due to COVID-19 outbreak mainly due of huge reverse migration of the informal workers. Shegunshi & Hiremath (2020) studied on employment situation and income condition of the households in both the pre and post pandemic period and mainly expecting consequences on the informal sector economy in India. Srivastava & Sivaramane (2020) examine how the household’s consumption pattern changed from non-essential to most essential commodities for livelihood in India during the economic slowdown period for COVID-19. Singh (2020) investigate the condition of migrant workers during pandemic and finds excess pressure on agriculture sector for returning the migrant workers. Lahiri & Sinha (2021) studies the impact of pandemic on household consumption and occupation. Reddy & Mamgain (2020) analyse the policy response to the pandemic induced economic crisis towards faster and inclusive recovery and reconstruction of rural livelihood in India through short-term measures for stimulating effective demand in rural areas. Khanna (2020) suggests relooking the migration related policies when a migrant has to leave the working place for the health crisis. Some other important studies related to the present study are Choudhari (2020), Breman, Rajan et al (2020), Khanna (2020), Rajan et al (2020), Khanna (2020), de Haan (2020), Singh (2020), Pal et al (2021), Ramakumar (2020), Lusome & Bhagat (2020)Gopalan & Misra (2020), Sengupta & Jha (2020), Suresh et al (2020), Mishra (2021), Shakya (2020), Miyamura (2021), Ranjan (2021), Kumar (2020), Barhate (2021), Jha et al (2020)., Choolayil & Putran (2021), Jalan & Sen (2020), Mohan& Mishra (2021), Ruthven (2021), Choudhury et al (2020), Padhee & Pingali (2020), Kumar & Choudhury (2021), Shah & Lerche (2020). Lele, Bansal, & Meenakshi (2020), Mookerjee et al (2021), Kumar et al (2021). Ullah et al (2021).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Pandemic: It is an epidemic of an infectious disease which has spread over many regions and affects numerous individuals.
Border Management: It is the facilitation of authorized flows of individuals such as tourists, refugees, business travelers, across a country’s border with the goal to detect and prevent the admission of non-citizens into the country.
Labor Migration: It is the movement of people from one region to another region or from area within a country to another area of the country for the purpose of employment.
Survey Research: It is the process of conducting research using a survey in which the researchers send to respondents. After the respondents complete the survey, the researchers collect the data to analyze and to draw meaningful conclusions.
Push-pull Factors: Migration is often assessed by “push-pull.” Push are factors that cause people to leave their country because of economic, political, or social problems while the pull factors are the reasons that attract people to the new country.
Rural Areas: It is a geographic area that is located outside of towns and urbanized areas.
Human Rights: These are the rights that is believed to belong to each and every person.
Migration: It represents the movement of people from one country to another country because of economic, social, or political reasons.