Reimagining Prosperity: Social and Economic Development in Post-COVID India

Description

This book explores the second-order effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on social and economic development in India. The chapters in this volume provide theoretical perspectives and empirical insights from a range of disciplines including history, economics, water management, food and nutrition security, agriculture, rural management, public health, urbanization, gender studies and development of the marginalized. It discusses the pressing questions that have been raised by the disruption caused by the pandemic and proposes insights and interventions to build a more just, sustainable and united post-COVID India. Contents Contributors List of Figures List of Tables 1 Introduction Reference 2 Summoning the Collective Will and Courage to Seek Economic Justice References 3 Economic Justice in Post-COVID India: A Macroeconomic Perspective Introduction Fault Lines Caste Gender The Informal Sector and the Lack of a Social Safety Net A Policy Framework for Economic Justice Importance of Inclusive Institutions Public Spending for Inclusive Institutions Markets and Inequality Conclusion References 4 Labour Reforms and Economic Justice: Inequality, the COVID-19 Pandemic and Regionalism Introduction Inequality in Various Dimensions of Development in India in a Global Context Pandemic, Vulnerability and Public Perception Relaxations in Labour Laws at State Level for Creating Employment for Local Populations Conclusion References 5 Youth Unemployment, Education and Job Training: An Analysis of PLFS Data in India Introduction Education, Skill Mismatch and Youth Unemployment: Some Studies Data and Variables Summary of Findings Youth Unemployment and the Pandemic Activity Status of the Youth by the Level of Education Youth Unemployment and Education Youth Unemployment by Social Groups Econometric Methods Empirical Results Summary and Conclusions References 6 Women, Work and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Paving the Path Forward Introduction Overview of Economic Barriers Facing Women Gender Norms and Unpaid Care Work Labour Processes and Labour Relations in the Informal Sector Need for Formalisation of Informal Sector Gender Blindness in the Design of Policies Urgent Need for Gender-Disaggregated Data The Gendered Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic The Path Forward References 7 Whither Adivasi Livelihoods? A Longitudinal Study of a Bhil Village in Gujarat Introduction Changing Adivasi Livelihoods: A Brief Review of Literature The Study and Its Objectives A Profile of Mahudi Village and the Bhil Community Changing Resource Base of Mahudi Livelihood Sources and Occupational Structure Agriculture and Livestock Non-Farm Employment and Migration Seasonal and Circulatory Migration Living Conditions of the Adivasis Education and Skill Development Housing and Other Amenities Welfare Schemes Conclusion References 8 Transforming India’s Agrarian Society in a Post-COVID World: Prospects and Challenges Evolution of Indian Agriculture The Green Revolution Preparing the Ground for Change The Future of the Landless Labourer Political Empowerment in the Rural Sector Women in Rural Society 9 Impact of COVID-19, Lockdowns and Economic Slowdown on Food and Nutrition Security in India Context of Food Security and Malnutrition in India Prior to the COVID Pandemic COVID-19 and Economic Slowdown: Impact on Food Insecurity and Malnutrition Response of Government of India Way Forward References 10 Degrowth, Diversity and Decentralisation: Building Sustainable Food Systems for Food and Nutrition Security Introduction Degrowth Diversity Decentralisation Feeding the Billions Concluding Remarks: Changing the Measures of Success References 11 Water Management Priorities in a Post-COVID World Growing Water Scarcity Water: Contrasting Approaches Five Priority Areas Agricultural Water Management Groundwater Management Protecting River Systems and Wetlands Water Quality and Drinking Water Security Legislative Action Conclusion References 12 Principles for Water Governance in a Post-COVID World: Water Sector Needs to Be Embedded in Environmental Justice Introduction Anthropocene and Water Climate Change/Crisis Hydraulic Mission Water Flowing to the Sea is a Waste Environmental Justice and Water Guiding Principles of Water Governance Interventions as per the Contours of Nature Rights of Nature; Rights of Rivers From Supply-Side Options to More Demand Management Options Reconceptualising Water-Use Prioritisation Equitable Access to Water Adaptive Management Democratisation of the Water Sector References 13 Seeing Water Differently Introduction Narratives and Policy Choice Mainstreaming Gender Straddling the Rural–Urban Water Divide: Attention to Peri-Urban Spaces The Changing Nature of Water Resources Education Conclusion: Translating these Ideas into Practice References 14 Reclaiming Their Place in the City: Narratives of Street Food Vendors of Bengaluru During the COVID Crisis Introduction Literature Review Politics of Space Belongingness to the City—Space and Place-Making by the Street Vendors Negotiating with Multiple Stakeholders Street Vending in India About the Study Surviving the Pandemic—Narratives from the Ground Quest for Alternative Livelihoods Streets Without People: The Streets Have Opened, but is It Business as Usual? Seeking to Live with Dignity Finding a Way Forward References 15 The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Female Domestic Workers in an Urban Setting Introduction Research Design and Data Source Demographic Profile of Domestic Workers Household Characteristics and Reasons for Taking Up Work as Domestic Workers Deepening Economic Distress and Domestic Workers’ Increasing Precarity The Need to Bolster Public Support and Livelihood Security for the Vulnerable The Way Forward Limitations of the Study Conclusion References 16 Impacts of COVID-19 on Public Health in Urban Slums in India and Lessons for the Future Background Impact of Lockdowns on Non-COVID Healthcare Immunization of Infants and Young Children Maternal and Childcare Disruptions in the Treatment Regimen of Tuberculosis (TB) Loss of Livelihoods Food and Nutrition Security The Education of Children Coping Strategies Maternal, Infant and Child Healthcare Livelihoods Food Security Education of Children Lessons for the Future Focus on Enhancing Health Infrastructure in Small Cities with a Population Size of 500,000 to 3 Million Address the Social Determinants of Health Through Coordinated Interventions Enhancing the Capacities of Communities Conclusion References 17 Whose Knowledge Makes a City Smart? Exploring Conceptions of the Role of Knowledge in Urban Policy in Indore, India Introduction Theoretical Framework Changes in Urban Development Paradigms in India: From the Early Twentieth Century to the Inception of the Smart Cities Mission The City of Indore Under the Holkar Princely State (Early Twentieth Century–1947) The Post-Independence Period Until Liberalization (1947–1991) Post-Liberalization to Smart Cities Mission (1991–2014) The Smart Cities Mission (2015–Present) Findings from the BCSD Study in Relation to the Knowledge Resources of Urban Informal Settlement Dwellers Critical Reflections on the Findings of the Study in Light of the Theoretical Framework Conclusion References Index