Changing Lives and Livelihoods in Rural Bihar in The Wake of Covid 19 Pandemic

Aims and Objectives: The research aims to assess the differentiated economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural households in Bihar. It will evaluate the support received by these households from both government and non-government sources. Additionally, the study will anticipate implementation challenges and explore potential means of incentivizing households for future initiatives, such as a mass vaccination campaign.

Methodology: The study involved collecting primary data through phone interviews with approximately 1,300 rural households across seven districts of Bihar. A stratified random sample design, based on past surveys conducted by the Institute of Human Development (IHD) from 2016-17, was utilized to ensure representativeness at the state level. The research focused on two key areas: the impact of the pandemic on livelihoods since the lockdown and the support received by households. Baseline data from the 2016-17 survey was used for comparative analysis.

Key Findings:

1. Livelihood Impact:
   • 94% of households experienced some impact on their livelihoods.
   • Households were engaged in multiple livelihood sources: self-employment in agriculture, animal husbandry, non-agriculture, regular wage/salaried work, casual labour, and migrant labour.
   • More than two-thirds of households engaged in two or more types of activities; 45% of households saw all sources of livelihood impacted.
   • Main source of income affected for nine out of every ten households.
2. Widely Affected Livelihoods:
   • Casual and migrant labour were the most impacted.
   • Casual labourers lost an average of 9 days of work per month since the onset of COVID-19.
   • Regular government salaried jobs remained protected, but less than 4% of households had a member in such a job.
   • Private sector jobs were less protected, with about one-fifth experiencing job losses.
3. Differentiated Impact:
   • Greater impact intensity on SC-ST and low-income groups.
   • Less than 7% of SC-ST households had minimal impact, compared to about 16% for Upper Caste households.
4. Other Impacts:
   • Health, nutrition, and education also affected.
   • 28% of households with children under 24 months missed immunizations.
   • 41% of households with pregnant or lactating women missed ante and post-natal check-ups.
5. Support Received:
   • Government support was limited and often excluded many households.
   • Significant fraction excluded due to lack of eligibility.
   • Some eligible households received no support or less than the announced amount.
   • Evidence of displacement of regular PDS rations by free food rations.

Policy Recommendations:

• Enhance Eligibility and Distribution of Support: Address gaps in eligibility criteria to ensure that more households receive the full support announced, making the distribution more inclusive.
• Diversify Livelihood Opportunities: Create and promote a range of livelihood opportunities to reduce reliance on casual and migrant labor, helping to stabilize incomes.
• Strengthen Social Protection: Implement comprehensive social protection measures to safeguard against job and income losses, particularly in the private sector.
• Improve Health Services Access: Enhance access to health services, especially for children and pregnant or lactating women, to prevent disruptions in essential health care.
• Prepare for Future Crises: Develop strategies to incentivize households to participate in future initiatives, such as mass vaccination campaigns, to better prepare for crises.

This study highlights the pervasive impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural livelihoods in Bihar and underscores the need for comprehensive and inclusive policy measures to support the affected households and build resilience against future crises.