SDG 10 and Long-Term Cost of Pandemic: Prospects and Challenges for India

In response to the spread of COVID-19 and the imperative to save lives, the implementation of lockdown measures and associated restrictions became a necessity. These actions highlighted the profound disparities engrained within Indian society. Following the lockdown measures, numerous businesses faced partial or complete closures. This has led to unemployment and reduced income, particularly impacting those employed in the informal sector. The pandemic had widespread effects across every section of society, with the impoverished and marginalized being the most vulnerable to the adverse consequences. The income losses in the short run could be expected to have irreversible effects in the form of long-term costs. This could impact human capabilities, including nutritional status and education, particularly for the economically disadvantaged population. This will not only have a significant impact on their development and lives but could also result in a vicious cycle of inequality. However, these long-term costs are often understated and tend to receive inadequate policy attention. Thus, drawing on existing empirical evidence on the distributional impacts of the pandemic, this chapter underscores the interplay between the pandemic and preexisting inequalities, particularly emphasizing its prolonged implications on nutrition and education for vulnerable populations. This undertaking serves a dual purpose. Firstly, it enables an assessment of the feasibility of attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically Goal 10. Secondly, it provides the government with insights to recalibrate its policies in alignment with the pursuit of SDG 10.