Skip to main content

Lockdown impact: 85% of Ahmedabad's low income households 'not earning' regularly

By A Representative
A fresh survey of Ahmedabad’s low income households under the directions of Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad (IIM-A) faculty Prof Ankur Sarin has revealed that, during the current lockdown, around 85% households reported not earning regular incomes anymore as against 76% households during an earlier survey. The survey was carried out between April 23 and May 2, while the previous round took place between March 24 and April 22.
Survey results show that most households have lost their monthly incomes (in the range of Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 for a large section) and expressed anxiety about their ability to pay rent, school fees, telephone and electricity bills, etc.
 A note prepared by Prof Sarin on the survey said, “Households continued reporting not having the means to procure basics like ration, milk, vegetables, toiletries etc.” About 90% of the households who were surveyed had their monthly median income of Rs 19,000 before the lockdown.
Survey results further show that around 54% respondents said that the number of meals their families were consuming per day have reduced since the lockdown, adding, around 60% of respondents said their current food supply would last them less than a week’s supply of food, and 20% said food supplies would last for up to two weeks, and 8% said these would last for up to four weeks.
During the previous survey, 44% of respondents said their current food supply would last them less than a week’s supply of food, while 19% said it would last for up to two weeks, and 12% said it would last for up to four weeks.
“Food supply is there but all is being purchased through credit. So as long as people lend, we will survive”, respondents are quoted as saying in the latest round of survey, adding, they are “managing” things with the help of “neighbours”.
Respondents also said, they their meal reduced “from three meals a day to once a day”, that they “only eat in the afternoon”, that they were “eating just one time day”, and so on.
Then, only 64% (as against 66% households in the previous survey) of households said they had collected ration for the month from fair price shops, even though over 85% claimed to have a ration card for the place they were currently residing in. 
Researchers, who carried out the survey, made 50+ calls daily. Claimed Prof Sarin, “The status of these households is indicative of the likely situation being faced by at least half of the over six million population residing in Ahmedabad.” However,  added a researcher, "Given that the sample we reached out in this round was slightly more disadvantaged, it's not strictly statistically comparable."
Among those who had ration cards gave several reasons why they were unable to access food, such as ration shops in their vicinity were shut, had low supply of grains, or were overcrowded. The survey quoted respondents as stating that they are “denied” ration for second time, are asked to come after May 15, collect ration after 2-3 days, with shop owner stating that he hasn’t received “adequate” food supply.
Then, said the survey, some households claimed to have received less than promised quantity, with respondents stating that “one day we received only 3 kg dal, 1 kg rice and some oil and nothing after that.”
“Around 46% reported having a Jandhan account”, the IIM-A note said, adding, “Among those who had an account, around 50% reported being aware of money transfers from the government to their accounts.”
While the government is seeking to promote cashless payment methods during the Covid-19 pandemic, the note said, most households did not have “digital wallets like Google Pay, Paytm, Bhim or Phone Pe making immediate transferring of funds difficult.”

Comments

TRENDING

Wave of disappearances sparks human rights fears for activists in Delhi

By Harsh Thakor*  A philosophy student from Zakir Hussain College, Delhi University, and an activist associated with Nazariya magazine, Rudra, has been reported missing since the morning of July 19, 2025. This disappearance adds to a growing concern among human rights advocates regarding the escalating number of detentions and disappearances of activists in Delhi.

How community leaders overcome obstacles to protect forests and pastures in remote villages

By Bharat Dogra  Dheera Ram Kapaya grew up in such poverty that, unable to attend school himself, he would carry another boy’s heavy school bag for five kilometers just to get a scoop of daliya (porridge). When he was finally able to attend school, he had to leave after class five to join other adolescent workers. However, as soon as opportunities arose, he involved himself in community efforts—promoting forest protection, adult literacy, and other constructive initiatives. His hidden talent for writing emerged during this time, and he became known for the songs and street play scripts he created to promote forest conservation, discourage child marriages, and support other social reforms.

‘Act of war on agriculture’: Aruna Rodrigues slams GM crop expansion and regulatory apathy

By Rosamma Thomas*  Expressing appreciation to the Union Agriculture Minister for inviting suggestions from farmers and concerned citizens on the sharp decline in cotton crop productivity, Aruna Rodrigues—lead petitioner in the Supreme Court case ongoing since 2005 that seeks a moratorium on genetically modified (GM) crops—wrote to Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on July 14, 2025, stating that conflicts of interest have infiltrated India’s regulatory system like a spreading cancer, including within the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR).

The GMO illusion: Three decades of hype, harm, and false hope

By Sridhar Radhakrishnan  Three decades of hype, billions of dollars spent, and still no miracle crop. It's time to abandon the GMO biotech fairy tale and return to the soil, the seed, and the farmer. “Trust us,” they said. “GMOs will feed the world.” Picture a world where there is plenty of food, no hunger, fields grow without chemical pesticides, children are saved from malnutrition, and people live healthily.

Sandra Gonzalez Sanabria: An inspiring life from Colombia’s Amazonian valley

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  In the village of Héctor Ramírez, known as Agua Bonita, in La Montañita, Caquetá, Colombia, a vision of peace and renewal is unfolding. In the pre-2016 period, this would have been nearly impossible for outsiders to visit, as it was the epicenter of violent resistance against state oppression. However, after the Peace Accord was signed between the Colombian government and former revolutionaries—marking the end of a 70-year insurgency that claimed over 400,000 lives until 2025, including civilians, rebel fighters, and security personnel—things began to change. Visiting Agua Bonita during the Global Land Forum in Bogotá revealed a village of hope and resilience. Former FARC revolutionaries have settled here and transformed the village into a center of peace and aspiration.

Indigenous Karen activist calls for global solidarity amid continued struggles in Burma

By A Representative   At the International Festival for People’s Rights and Struggles (IFPRS), Naw Paw Pree, an Indigenous Karen activist from the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG), shared her experiences of oppression, resilience, and hope. Organized with the support of the International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL), the event brought together Indigenous and marginalized communities from across the globe, offering a rare safe space for shared learning, solidarity, and expression.

Activists allege abduction and torture by Delhi Police Special Cell in missing person probe

By A Representative   A press statement released today by the Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) alleges that several student and social activists have been abducted, illegally detained, and subjected to torture by the Delhi Police Special Cell. The CASR claims these actions are linked to an investigation into the disappearance of Vallika Varshri, an editorial team member of 'Nazariya' magazine.

India’s zero-emission, eco-friendly energy strategies have a long way to go, despite impressive progress

By N.S. Venkataraman*   The recent report released by OPEC’s World Oil Outlook 2025 has predicted that by the year 2050, crude oil would replace coal as India’s key energy source. Clearly, OPEC expects that India’s dependence on fossil fuels for energy will continue to remain high in one form or another.

Gender violence defies stringent laws: The need for robust social capital

By Dr. Manoj Kumar Mishra*  The tragic death of Miss Soumyashree Bisi, a 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan College, Balasore, who reportedly self-immolated due to harassment, shocked the conscience of Odisha. Even before the public could process this horrifying event, another harrowing case emerged—a 15-year-old girl from Balanga, Puri, was allegedly set ablaze by miscreants. These incidents are not isolated; they highlight a disturbing pattern of rising gender-based violence across the state and the country.