Neggers looks at effects of COVID lockdowns on Indian migrant workers

May 5, 2021

As India endures a drastic increase in COVID-19 cases, a new study sheds light on how previous lockdowns have affected some of the poorest workers in the country.

Yale University survey that tracked 5,000 migrants across north and central India from April 2020 to February 2021 found that migrant workers in India who returned to cities for work after the first COVID-19 lockdown earned roughly five times as much as those who stayed back, and last year’s exodus affected women more than men. The Ford School's Yusuf Neggers was one of the researchers looking at how the previous severe lockdowns had affected the livelihoods of the poor migrant workers. The Yale Economic Growth Center notes, "The findings can inform the policy response to the current outbreak."

The original publication on the Yale Economic Growth Center site can be seen here.

An article in The Indian Express that refers to the study can be seen here.

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