On March 25, 2020, the Indian government imposed the world’s greatest lockdown, resulting in chaos across the country. Companies were obliged to adopt the practise of working from home, popularly known as “Work from Home,” as a result of the unusual move. Salaried employees were given the option of working from home. What about domestic assistance, though? How can somebody work from home if their employment needs them to be physically present? For employees in the informal sector, working from home is therefore impractical.
According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), around “80.9 percent of India’s employed population earns a living in the informal economy.” This means that just a small percentage of India’s workforce has job security, timely pay, good working conditions, and the option to work from home. As a result, the pandemic-related lockdown is a huge blemish on the life of informal sector workers. Most (if not all) of these workers are paid below minimum wage, work in dangerous conditions, and have no idea what their future holds. These workers have lost their livelihoods and only source of income in a flash as factories, housing societies, construction sites, and other businesses have shuttered. Because more salaried workers are remaining at home, the need for domestic housekeepers has fallen, putting a strain on employment in this sector. Migrant workers are also included in the informal sector, as they are frequently unable to apply for ration cards or obtain government subsidies due to a lack of understanding and time-consuming documentation. The lack of job prospects, combined with the government’s lack of effective programmes, has thrown these employees into a state of difficulty. As a result, the government’s work-from-home solution has done more harm than good, because instead of worrying about the sickness, people are now concerned about their livelihood, food, and shelter, all of which are more deadly than the virus.
It is critical for the government to step up and take positive action in such a dire scenario. Despite the fact that India’s labour is largely informal, no provisions were made to address this. Lockdowns and work from home orders alone will not suffice to alleviate the issue, as they will only reach a small portion of the population. Furthermore, with leading corporations indicating that they will continue to allow their staff to work from home, there is a need to provide alternate options for domestic workers who are harmed by this choice. Because the majority of the informal sector works for small businesses, the government should promote MSMEs (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) to ensure that these businesses can continue to employ people. It should also endeavour to provide aid in the form of basic requirements such as food, clothing, and other essentials to the most affected areas. Furthermore, the services supplied by persons in this sector are critical to the smooth operation of any government. If the formal sector has a direct impact on the economy, it is important to remember that the informal sector supports the official sector and contributes to the economy indirectly. As a result, the informal sector must be given appropriate respect before anything else.
