Rural Employment and Pandemic

As per data released by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE),the unemployment rate in India surged to 49-week high of 14.45% in the week ended 16 May. This is almost double the 8.67% recorded in the preceding week.

Though it is way below the peak of more than 21% in May’20, the last week spike is disturbing, particularly because employment losses were much more in the agricultural sector, that had not suffered state-imposed curbs and lock-downs. Rural employment soared to 14.34% in the last week from just 7.29%.

Some analysts feel that certain sectors like consumer retail, travel and tourism have been hit from demand perspective due to joblessness and skimping discretionary expenses.

The lack of opportunities in urban areas has forced people to shift to their respective villages, where employment opportunities are not there for them. A lull in agricultural activities that contribute one fifth of our economy, may also have contributed to this menace.

The fact is that the covid is fast spreading in rural areas, where the facilities of testing and healthcare are rickety. And now the black fungus is also wreaking havoc in India.

Vaccination will definitely take long to secure all villagers. Till then, the they have to strictly follow the protocol of masking, social distancing and hand-washing. The government needs to identify the infected villages to initiate immediate relief measures for them as also to educate them.

–Kaushal Kishore