Incomes 'vanished' during Covid, 94.3% Indians seek universal healthcare, pension

Counterview Desk
Fight Inequality Alliance (FIA) India, of which Oxford India is a member, has said that while every 8 out of 10 Indians want a tax on the rich and companies profited during a pandemic, more than 90% of people demand social security, right to health, and prevention of gender-based violence from the Union budget.
Based on a survey it carried out, the FIA report says, “The Union Budget 2022-23 can potentially provide several measures to fight inequality. The stark inequalities exacerbated by Covid-19 have started a global wave of protests to make the rich pay their fair share. The Government of India can listen to the people and make provisions for social security, health, and well-being through the budget."

A note:

More than 80% of Indians support a tax on the rich and corporations who earned record profits during the pandemic, a nationwide survey by Fight Inequality Alliance India (FIA India) has revealed. The survey took inputs of total of 3231 Indians from 24 states ahead of the Union Budget 2022-23 on the expectations of common people from the government. More than 90% of participants demanded budget measures to combat inequality such as universal social security, right to health, and expansion of budget to prevent gender-based violence revealed the survey by FIA, an alliance of NGOs, civil society, environmental groups, trade unions and social movements to fight the growing crisis of inequality.
A global study by Fight Inequality Alliance showed that the wealth of Indian billionaires has more than doubled during the Covid-19 pandemic while 46 million people are estimated to have fallen into extreme poverty in 2020 (nearly half of the new global poor). This means the richest 98 billionaires own the same wealth as the bottom 40% of Indian society.
The economic and social disruptions caused by Covid-19 have further exacerbated inequalities in India. The Centre for Monitoring India Economy (CMIE) estimates that over 10 million jobs vanished in the second wave and 97% of households saw their incomes drop. The impact, while devastating overall, has been grossly unequal. While the wealth of Indian billionaires has more than doubled during the Covid-19 pandemic 46 million people are estimated to have fallen into extreme poverty in 2020, according to Oxfam India report. The stark inequality in India is disproportionately affecting marginalised communities such as Dalits, Adivasis, Muslims and women.
Anjela Taneja, lead, FIA, said, “The Union Budget 2022-23 can potentially provide several measures to fight inequality. The stark inequalities exacerbated by Covid-19 have started a global wave of protests to make the rich pay their fair share. The Government of India can listen to the people and make provisions for social security, health, and well-being through the budget.”
The survey by FIA indicates the need for progressive policy and budget allocations to provide relief to Indians who have lost lives and jobs.
Here are some findings and suggestions for the Union Budget in India from FIA pre-budget survey:

Where should the government allocate additional funds in the upcoming budget?

94.3 percent want the government to provide universal minimum social security including health and maternity benefits, accident insurance, life insurance, and pension to all unorganized workers. In the case of Scheduled Caste and Schedule Tribe, the percentage increases to 97.9 percent and 97 percent respectively
94.1 percent overall, 100 percent women and 96 percent STs want an Increase the budget for National Health Mission
96.6 percent of youth in the age group of 18-24 from the SC community and 89.1 percent of the overall respondents want an increased allocation for scholarships for Dalit, Adivasis, minorities, and women for their education and skill development. 98 percent STs demanded for the same.
91.4 percent wants the government to strengthen support services for the prevention of gender-based violence
90.8 percent demand increase in allocation for the opening of creches and other care facilities, percentage increases to 95.1 percent for Schedule Caste
89.3 percent wants the government to ensure that all schools provide additional academic support to students who experienced learning loss and roll NEP provisions like breakfast in schools; figure stands at 95.25 percent for Schedule Caste
88.3 percent of the respondents want the government to universalize PDS and continue providing free food grains to the poor in pandemic beyond the month of March 2022

What should the government do to increase the availability of the funds for social service:

89 percent of the respondents want the government to impose fines on private companies that do not fulfill environmental norms
84 percent wants the government to place a 2% COVID surcharge on individuals earning more than INR 2 crore per annum; 89.3 percent wants the government to impose a temporary tax on companies making massive profits during the pandemic
What should be the overall priority of the government in the budget
97.4 percent of respondents want the government to control inflation in prices of fuel prices and food
94.4 percent wants the government to Introduce a Right to Health
93.6 percent wants the government to expedite government recruitment to increase employment of youth; percentage as high as 98 for respondents from SC category
90.9 percent wants the government to provide COVID vaccination to be done free in both private and public health institutions
80 percent want the government to address profiteering by private providers in education and health

---
Click here for the survey report

Comments

From snowstorms to heatwaves: India’s alarming climate shift in 2025

By Dr. Gurinder Kaur* Climate change is no longer a future concern—it is visibly affecting every country today. Since the beginning of 2025, its effects on India have become starkly evident. These include unseasonal snowfall in hill states, the early onset of heatwaves in southern regions, a shortening spring season, and unusually early and heavy rainfall, among other phenomena.

'Incoherent, dogmatic': Near collapse of international communist movement

By Harsh Thakor* The international communist movement today lacks coherence or organizational unity. Many groups worldwide identify as communist, Marxist-Leninist, or Maoist, but most promote dogmatism, reformism, or capitulation, using revolutionary rhetoric. Some trace their origins to historical betrayals, like Trotsky’s efforts to undermine the Soviet socialist transition or the 1976 coup in China that restored a bourgeoisie under Deng Xiaoping. Others focus on online posturing rather than mass engagement. Small communist organizations exist in places like Turkey, South Asia, and the Philippines, where Maoist-led struggles continue. No international forum unites them, and no entity can forge one.

Priced out of life: The silent crisis in India's healthcare... who pays attention, and who takes responsibility?

By Aysha* Manisha (name changed) has been living with a disease since the birth of her third child—over ten years now—in the New Seemapuri area of North East Delhi. She visited GTB Hospital, where a doctor told her that treatment would cost ₹50,000, as the hospital would charge for the cost of an instrument that needs to be implanted in her body. Several NGOs have visited her home, yet she has received no support for treatment and continues to live with the illness. Manisha is divorced, without access to ration or pension, and lives with her three children by begging outside a temple.

Madhya Pradesh village's inspiring example of how small budget effort conserves water amidst heat wave

By Bharat Dogra Heat waves have been intensifying over vast areas of India in recent days and there are also many reports of water scarcity making the conditions worse for people. However the situation can differ significantly in various villages depending on whether or not significant water conservation efforts have been made. In recent years I have visited several villages of good water conservation efforts where I noticed that even at the time of adverse weather conditions, people of these villages as well as farm and other animals feel important relief in terms of access to adequate water. Due to water and moisture conservation, conditions of farms and pastures is also much better. What is more, with the participation and involvement of people, even quite low budgets have been utilized well to achieve very useful and durable results.

Population explosion: India needs a clear-headed policy, data-driven governance, long-term planning

By N.S. Venkataraman* At the upcoming G7 summit in Canada, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited as a special guest, with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau citing two main reasons: India’s rise as the world’s fifth-largest economy and its status as the most populous nation. While economic growth is undoubtedly a point of pride, the latter distinction—India’s population—raises an important question: should this be seen as a strength or a source of growing concern? India has not conducted a national census since 2011, leaving the current population figures largely speculative. Estimates place the population at around 1.4 billion, with projections reaching 1.8 billion by 2050. Despite modest declines in fertility and death rates, the annual population growth remains between 1.5% and 2%. The next census, scheduled for 2026, will provide a more accurate demographic picture, but until then, policymaking remains uninformed by crucial data. Over the past eleven years, the gov...

Victim to cricketing politics, Alvin Kalicharan was a most organized left handed batsman

By Harsh Thakor* On March 21st Alvin Kalicharan celebrates his 75th birthday. Sadly, his exploits have been forgotten or overlooked. Arguably no left handed batsman was technically sounder or more organized than this little man. Kalicharan was classed as a left-handed version of Rohan Kanhai. Possibly no left-handed batsmen to such a degree blend technical perfection with artistry and power.

Vishwamitri river revival? New report urges action on pollution, flood risks, wildlife protection

By A Representative The Vishwamitri Committee, formed by the Gujarat State Human Rights Commission, has submitted two supplementary reports on June 5, 2025, detailing efforts to rejuvenate the Vishwamitri River in Vadodara, considered Gujarat's cultural capital. The reports (click here and here ) respond to directives from a May 26, 2025, GSHRC hearing. Comprising environmentalists, urban planners, and zoologists like Neha Sarwate, Rohit Prajapati, Dr. Ranjitsinh Devkar, Dr. Jitendra Gavali, and Mitesh Panchal, the committee focuses on mitigating pollution, stabilizing riverbanks, managing flood risks, and preserving biodiversity, particularly for crocodiles and turtles.

Mumbai jetty project: Is Colaba residential associations' outrage manufactured?

By Gajanan Khergamker When the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) filed an affidavit before the Bombay High Court defending its long-planned public jetty project, it did more than just respond to a writ petition by a Colaba Residents Association. It exposed, albeit inadvertently, a far more corrosive phenomenon festering beneath the surface of urban civil life across India—a phenomenon where residential associations, many unregistered and some self-professed custodians of ‘public sentiment,’ conspire to stall governance under the veil of representation.

Central London discussion to spotlight LGBTQ+ ex-Muslim rights and persecution

By A Representative On June 13, 2025, the Dissident Club in Central London will host a public discussion to mark the 18th anniversary of the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB) and to commemorate World Refugee Day. The event, scheduled from 7:00 to 9:00 pm, will feature speakers Ali Malik, Maryam Namazie, and Taha Siddiqui, who are expected to address the intersecting challenges faced by LGBTQ+ ex-Muslims globally.

Search This Blog