Lockdown brings uncertainty on ration, jobs, says study

Several BPL families whose income depended on jobs in unorganised sectors and daily wages, do not have sufficient ration for the coming month, even as they are unsure for being able to get back to their jobs, a social impact study on the pandemic has found.

The study, conducted by state-based Karnataka Janashakti, was undertaken in 15 districts across the state, including Kolar, Koppal, Mandya, Bengaluru Urban, Chitradurga, among other districts. The study covered at least 150 respondents, said state president Nagaragere Ramesh.

As part of the study, which was undertaken between April 22 and April 28, the respondents were asked whether they had enough ration at home, whether they had money to buy the same, if medical examination was being conducted, if they thought they could get back to their jobs, among other questions, to assess the social impact of the pandemic.

According to the findings of the study, 89 per cent of respondents said they did not have sufficient groceries for next month, while 94 per cent of them said they did not have money to buy groceries.

Further, only 7% of the respondents said they were confident of going back to the same jobs they used to do before the lockdown. About 31% were doubtful, while another 34% were sure that they had lost their livelihoods. All the respondents working on contract in unorganised sectors said their jobs were not secure, the report stated.

The respondents, who stated that public representatives had failed to respond to them during the crisis, sought food and financial assistance from the government, apart from seeking local representatives to give them a lending ear, amid the crisis.