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Who was impacted and how? COVID-19 pandemic and the long uneven recovery in India

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  • Mrinalini Jha
  • Rahul Lahoti

Abstract

We investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on income levels, poverty, and inequality in both the immediate aftermath and during the uneven recovery until December 2021 using high-frequency household survey data from India. We find that the average household incomes dropped sharply during the months of the nationwide lockdown. The subsequent recovery remained incomplete and was unevenly spread over the population even 22 months after the start of the pandemic. Poverty more than doubled during the lockdown and even after almost two years was slightly higher than before the pandemic.

Suggested Citation

  • Mrinalini Jha & Rahul Lahoti, 2022. "Who was impacted and how? COVID-19 pandemic and the long uneven recovery in India," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2022-105, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    • Handle: RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp-2022-105
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mahmud, Mahreen & Riley, Emma, 2021. "Household response to an extreme shock: Evidence on the immediate impact of the Covid-19 lockdown on economic outcomes and well-being in rural Uganda," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
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    Cited by:

    1. Nitya Mittal & Janina Isabel Steinert & Sebastian Vollmer, 2023. "COVID-19 pandemic, losses of livelihoods and uneven recovery in Pune, India," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Archana Dang & Mausumi Das & Indrani Gupta, 2023. "COVID-19 And The Unequal Distribution Of Poverty Risks: Evidence From Urban India," IEG Working Papers 458, Institute of Economic Growth.

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