Published Paper Details:

This paper examines the trajectory of poverty and inequality in Karnataka in the post-2020 period, focusing on the socioeconomic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the nature of the subsequent recovery. Despite Karnataka's strong pre-pandemic growth driven by the services sector, particularly information technology, significant intra-state and social disparities persisted. The pandemic disrupted labour markets, household incomes, education, and access to healthcare, disproportionately affecting informal workers, women, migrant labourers, and economically weaker districts. Drawing on secondary data from national surveys and state reports, the study assesses income poverty, multidimensional poverty, vulnerability, and inequality using indicators such as consumption trends, labour market outcomes, and regional disparities. The findings suggest a temporary rise in income poverty during 2020-2021 and a K-shaped recovery that widened income and regional inequalities. Northern districts continued to exhibit higher deprivation levels compared to southern regions, while digital exclusion and gender disparities intensified structural inequalities. Although central and state government interventions mitigated extreme hardship through food security measures, employment programs, and fiscal support, recovery has been uneven and distributionally skewed. The paper argues that sustained inclusive growth in Karnataka requires targeted regional investment, labour market formalization, gender-responsive policies, digital infrastructure expansion, and strengthened social protection systems. Economic resilience alone is insufficient without deliberate efforts to address structural inequalities.