Jobs of 66% affected, 28% got pay cut: Praja

A TOTAL OF 2,087 HOUSEHOLDS WERE SURVEYED BY NGO PRAJA FOUNDATION AND HANSA RESEARCH

MUMBAI: A recent survey found that the jobs of around 66% respondents were impacted due to lockdown owing to Covid-19. Around 17% said they lost jobs, 28% said they their salary was reduced and 25% said they worked during lockdown without any pay. The survey was conducted jointly by NGO Praja Foundation and Hansa Research in December 2020.

The results of the survey stated that 47% respondents said they had to rely on their savings during the lockdown for daily expenses. It also revealed that despite being under metal distress, 84% respondents did not speak to anyone.

According to NGO Praja Foundation, a total of 2,087 households were interviewed for the survey, which includes 791 households which were interviewed for livelihood, housing and transport related issued, 527 samples for education, and 769 for health-related issues. The aim of the survey was to understand the impact of the pandemic on key sectors in Mumbai.

While some said they had to leave their jobs, or worked with reduced salaries, many also said that they had to work extra hours or were overburdened. It also revealed that 71% of the respondents were not able to save money during lockdown.

Milind Mhaske, director of Praja Foundation, said, “Livelihood and employment across sectors have been the worst hit. Two of every three respondents said their livelihood was adversely impacted, of which 36% had leave-without-pay, 28% worked with reduced salary, 25% worked without salary and 13% had extra working hours or were otherwise overburdened.”

The survey also covered the aspect of migration due to lockdown. Around 23% respondents said they have to leave Mumbai during lockdown citing reasons such as losing jobs and not being able to afford rent among others.

“The survey also highlighted some lifestyle changes and preferences which can be adopted for future planning of the city. Of those working from home, 63% said they would like to continue to work from home (70% female, 59% male) in the future. In terms of travel to work, preference for walking and buses has increased as compared to what it was before the pandemic,” he said.

For those working from office, the demand for travelling via bus increased marginally, resulting in a fall of demand for trains. Of the total respondents, 2% had Covid-19, of which 77% were admitted to a hospital. Of them, 39% respondents received free treatment for Covid-19. Of the 61% who spent money on Covid-19 treatment, the majority (50%) spent less than ₹10,000, revealed the survey.

Further, 48% respondents said they managed the treatment cost with help, 27% sourced it from their regular income, while 23% sourced it from insurance. On the mental health end, the survey reveals that in spite of majority of respondents facing stress, 84% did not speak to anyone about their mental state.

The survey also spoke with parents on how they and their children managed education during the lockdown. It found that 97% students attended online classes, 62% parents favoured offline education, 63% said online classes made children physically inactive.

Nitai Mehta, founder of NGO Praja Foundation, said, “The survey has highlighted the urgency for better policy-making.”