As per the latest CVoter Economic Battery Wave survey, there has been a massive negative impact on income of households since the lockdown was implemented to fight the Covid-19 pandemic with more than half the respondents indicating it.
According to the survey, 53.2 per cent of males said there has been a negative impact on their income. So, either people are laid off, getting reduced salaries, forced to go on leave without pay or are working only part time now.
Similarly, 56.4 per cent females are earning less than what they did before the lockdown.
The sample date is first week of June and the sample size is 1,397 and covers more than 500 Lok Sabha seats across the country. Since it has a tracker mechanism, it adds 1,000 plus new respondents weekly.
Among the age groups, the hit is more on the senior citizens, with 61.6 per cent saying they are receiving lower income now.
Paradoxically, both the low-income groups and high-income groups are affected. The maximum negative impact is on the HIG group where as many as 84.4 per cent are feeling the pinch. This may be a group in trade and commerce also where business activity has been adversely affected.
Interestingly, those with higher education seem to be stable even in this uncertain and volatile environment.
Those with higher education reported that only 25.3 per cent are feeling they are getting lower income and seem to be stable.
Among the religious groups, Sikhs are the worst hit in terms of negative impact on income with 79.5 per cent reporting lower income after the lockdown.
Among the regions, the South is the worst affected with 69.8 per cent respondents answering affirmative to the lower income question while West is the most comfortable with 55.4 per cent saying there is no impact.
( With inputs from IANS )