The current Coronavirus pandemic has caused havoc all over the world. Densely populated developing countries like India are at second position only after the USA in a tally of the highest number of Covid-19 positive cases. Majority of states and cities, specifically those with direct connectivity with the rest of the world, have been worst affected. The wrath of Covid 19 has not spared remote Border States like Nagaland. With the lockdown in force since 25th March, the economy of the state has been exposed to unprecedented challenges, impacting local entrepreneurs and overall growth prospects of the state.
COVID-19: Impact on Local Entrepreneurs and Self Employed People in Nagaland
The pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus has been a major surprise for the local entrepreneurs and self-employed people in Nagaland, who survive on the daily wages which they earn from or the activities that they deal with. Such a crisis here in Nagaland wasn’t expected and most individuals thought that the virus wouldn’t reach here and affect daily activities of common men.
As the number of covid positive cases seems to increase on a daily basis, the struggle seems to get harder on the side of the daily wage earners. The situation that can be cited here as per my observation would be on the street vendors or the people who moves from place to place in order to sell their vegetables or fruits that they produce, as the rule of complete shutdown had been initiated in the beginning due to the surge in positive cases, the vendors couldn’t move or even supply their products from the particular place that they lived in and these led to various problems which includes their vegetables or fruits going to waste and their source of income being put to a hold and while the lockdown has been relaxed, as of now most street vendors still seems to struggle given the fact that their savings or money had to be used for the basic necessities during the lockdown and now they are helpless on the side of not having enough cash to purchase the things or materials that is needed by them to restart their activities and these situation seems to be the same for the local entrepreneurs who transports agricultural products in large quantities as they are left with huge losses both in terms of profits or the products that cannot be stored for a long period of time as the movement of vehicle and people was put on a hold.
As a business student my thought on how nagaland though it has seen it’s economy going down in the past recent months due to the business activity put on a hold and now the business activity struggling to catch up with the pace as it was before can improve now and in the future would be,is that it has to give importance to e-platform which wasn’t given much importance before because I can see that people have goods or things to sell but they don’t know where to go and sell apart from the places that they go to everyday and if we look it from other side, we can’t even blame the individuals who lives in villages and engaged in agriculture which also acts as their source of income and livelihood, while being uneducated and with no bodies or organization approaching them with the idea of selling their products online, the role of the government here can play a big role in making them understand that there is such platform as e-marketing that can be a great major step to make their activity smarter and fruitful.
People employed in the field of social media using internet such as being a YouTuber which as of now is increasing in numbers in nagaland, is one field which according to me seems to be less affected by the pandemic, such as on YouTubers who deals with news, comedy or someone who shows his talent or ability through the videos. Their job and income from ads or other sources no doubt is secured given that their content and ideas appeals and entertains the public, while other jobs seem to have more elements of risk. Perhaps one would also agree that the point that the internet is the new face of working in a safe and smart manner.
If an individual is to look carefully, Nagaland has never lacked when it comes to the needs and wants that are required by the people but a major lesson that can be learned through this pandemic is that, how can we find ways to supply the wants and needs?, as for a moment every individual was with the thought that the basic necessities like rice, oil and others would get over and there wouldn’t be ways that these things could be supplied anymore leading people to buy in huge bulk and quantities. My encouragement to the people and especially students who have knowledge on the world of the internet would be to share this knowledge with the ones who need it the most in order for them to survive and help us survive at the same time.
Businesses and activities in the future will surely have to keep on continuing even though the virus vanishes or despite the presence of the virus if the vaccine for it isn’t discovered, as the government too has the economy to look after while also seeing that there is safety in every process that takes place but while the government works on their parts, the true test will certainly be one in which the creativity and innovativity of the individuals can find ways to cope with the situation. Being someone who aspires to be an entrepreneur in the near future,I’m really curious about the different ways that different entrepreneurs can find and discover which will not only change the market, the way it functions but also focuses on the customers safety at the same time.
Degree of Thought is a weekly community column initiated by Tetso College in partnership with The Morung Express. Degree of Thought will delve into the social, cultural, political and educational issues around us. The views expressed here do not reflect the opinion of the institution. Tetso College is a NAAC Accredited UGC recognised Commerce and Arts College. The editors are Dr Hewasa Lorin, Dr. Aniruddha Babar, Dr. Pfokrelo Kapesa, Rinsit B Sareo, Meren Lemtur and Kvulo Lorin.
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