Posted 1/24/2024, 8:01:00 PM
Pandemic Widens India's Rich-Poor Divide As Incomes Rebound Unevenly
- Average household income in India increased 12% since the Covid pandemic, with the poorest seeing over 75% jump
- Poorest 20% households still 16% below 2015-16 income level of Rs 1,37,000
- Pandemic widened gap between richest and poorest from 3.8 times in 2015-16 to 11 times in 2020-21
- Shift in occupations due to Covid - salaried households jumped 39% while farm and non-farm labor fell
- Urban poor like casual labor, petty traders, artisans impacted most by income decline during pandemic