Centre for Comparative Studies
Keralites happy with state govt’s Covid efforts: Survey
September 9, 2020
INDIA’S NEW PUBLIC TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE IS LESS THAN WATERTIGHT
September 9, 2020Keralites happy with govt’s response to the pandemic
Keralites were happier with their state government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic among all the major states in India, according to a Covid-19 impact survey conducted by the Kochi-based Centre for Public Policy Research.
The report spotlighted Covid-19-related perceptions, precautionary behaviours, and government responses in an attempt to discern the level of preparedness among the masses and their outlook on the government’s management of the crisis. The study also looked into travel patterns in the pre-lockdown and during the lockdown phase and assessed the change in people’s perception of public transport.
The sample survey was conducted during June 16-30 among people living in India since Feb 2020 after unlock phase 1 was underway. The mean rating (weighted average) on a scale of 5 for satisfaction with the response of the Government of Kerala to the pandemic, was 4.11, whereas the mean rating for the central government’s measures was 2.44. Mean rating for all state governments together was 3.32.
This was possibly due to the Kerala government’s prompt response to the outbreak which reined in the infection rate prior to and during the period of the survey.
Respondents perceive the threat to the economy caused due to the Covid-19 pandemic to be more serious in nature compared to its impact as a health crisis. Nine in 10 respondents believe Covid-19’s threat to the economy to be very or highly severe whereas only six respondents perceive Covid-19’s threat as an illness to be very or highly severe. A quarter of the respondents believe that their likelihood of getting exposed to Covid-19 or contracting the disease is an unlikely prospect.
Two-thirds of the respondents believe that the nationwide lockdown initiated on March 24 was justifiable and about three-fourths believe that the lockdown was effective in curbing the spread of Covid-19. On an average, the respondents are relatively more content with their respective state governments’ response to the pandemic compared to the Centre’s.
Respondents have exhibited high levels of confidence in doctors, police, public hospitals and NGOs in their ability to respond to the pandemic.
Across all self-assessed preventive behaviours, females consistently show more adherence in comparison to males. The adverse effects of the lockdown on mental health related indicators are more prominent among females than males, particularly in terms of being worried about their family’s health or going to public places.
This news report is on the COVID-19 Impact Survey conducted by CPPR published in the Times of India on September 9, 2020. Click here to read
