Decoding the Informal Sector for Targeted Policy Initiatives

Migrant workers with no access to rations, families stuck in 60 sq. ft. shanties, domestic workers with no means to pay rent; the media has been abuzz with narratives on the quandaries of the informal sector following the national lockdown. While the Central and State governments tried to address their issues through measures like free rations and cash transfers, there have been "inadequacies and lapses", according to the Supreme Court. The absence of a comprehensive database on the sector contributes to these lapses to a large extent. This lacunae is hindering a nuanced understanding of the characteristics and vulnerabilities of the sector, thereby hampering targeted support.