Economy

With no income, the lockdown affected every aspect of an informal worker’s life. It was only reverse remittances that kept them afloat, finds out the first of this four-part Ground Reality Series

COVID-19 crisis brought into sharp focus the precarious conditions of gig workers. How can the gig economy be regulated to ensure fair work conditions? Tune into a discussion by Citizen Matters and Vidhi Legal.

Karnataka government has allowed factories to increase work hours. But in a survey, majority of garment factory workers said it was simply impossible for them to work extra hours.

Last year 17.2 crore litres of liquor was sold in Bengaluru and an average consumer drank about 36 litres of liquor and 27 litres of beer.

Neighbourhood shops selling essentials have stayed open during lockdown, but even they have suffered severe losses. Disrupted supply chain, extremely low footfalls, lack of movement passes and home delivery staff meant they have a long road to recovery.

Under normal circumstances, the poor would find a way out by borrowing amongst themselves. But this is not an option as everyone is under severe distress.

Even as they demand relief, street vendors in Bengaluru are offering to support the government by running community kitchens and delivering essentials to households.

Over four lakh garment factory workers in Bengaluru face uncertainty as managements are unwilling to pay their wages until the lockdown ends. Managements say they need a stimulus package from the government so as to pay wages in April.

The compounded effect of the lockdown, cholera-related evictions and the subsequent negative publicity about street food, may deal a severe blow to the thousands of street food vendors in Bengaluru.

Bengaluru’s auto drivers are a stigmatised lot, but is there a reason they demand exorbitant fares? Shunned by banks, these drivers are often indebted to money lenders for life

While BBMP Council wants to ban advertisement hoardings in the city, the state government has come up with its own Rules to allow hoardings. Whose decision should prevail, and why?

Many businesses are opting for areca cutlery, clay pots etc to avoid plastic and be eco-friendly. But these materials are hard to compost, and only add to Bengaluru’s piling waste.