Published Paper Details:

The unexpected and unplanned first lockdown during the pandemic in the year 2020 had affected the entire economy including the organized and unorganized sectors across the globe. The focal point here is the extent to which the pandemic-induced lockdown has affected the clerical staff and administrative staff in Mumbai. This paper seeks to throw light on the various demographic aspects with special emphasis placed on the change in incomes of the lower income salaried class and possible solutions. As many workplaces opened after the third month of the lockdown, several peons and clerical staff who were either on contract or on temporary basis resumed their jobs but faced pay-cuts. Even though the central government and various state governments announced relief measures and several provisions for the people, it was observed that these measures had not been implemented across all the areas and a majority of the workers and employees did not enjoy any of these benefits. In addition to these issues, the increase in transportation costs and increase in the costs related to healthcare facilities thus had created a further rise in the total expenditure of the peons and clerks who still were either unemployed or were trying to survive on half of their original salaries. The pressure on the peons and their families increased with low salaries or no jobs at all and a huge increase in the expenditure. With no external support from the government or any other institutions, peons faced dark financial situation. Even though the recovery of economy has paced up yet uncertainties persist for the long term, leading to notable damage in the entire section of the community and hence in the future all stakeholders must come together to revive and rework on the policy decisions to sustain crisis periods that benefits the lower-income groups as well as the national interest.