As the pandemic and the lockdown severely dented businesses across sectors and the income of a common man for over two months, leaving people’s financial prospects utterly uncertain, a large number of Indians now feel their hopes of purchasing a home of their own would remain a dream.
The IANS-CVoter Economic Battery Wave survey showed that around 24.6 per people in the middle income group and 18.3 per cent in the low income group feel a home of their own is beyond their reach now.
Interestingly, the despair exists despite the government’s latest announcement of extending the Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS) for middle income groups to buy affordable housing units for one more year till March 31, 2021.
This very feeling of incapability of purchasing a house is not limited to the low and middle income groups, as the survey also showed that nearly 7 per cent respondents from the higher income group feel their plans of buying a home have been derailed.
Around 17.6 per cent people in the higher income group said that they will not be able to purchase a property while 8.2 per cent and 6.3 per cent respondents in the middle income group and the low income group, respectively, felt the same, showed the survey carried out with a sample of 1,200 people.
Interestingly, many people in the higher income group also feel that they would not be able to buy a four-wheeler now. The ‘CovidTracker Economy Survey Wave 4’ showed that 17.2 per cent of the respondents in the segment feel that buying a car is beyond their reach now.
Around 7.4 per cent and 5.8 per cent respondents in the middle income and low income group now may not be able to buy a four-wheeler or a three-wheeler — tractor or auto.
Demand for two-wheelers tends to reflect the shape of the economic situation and that very segment would see a major impact. Around 7.5 per cent respondents in the low income group now feel they won’t be able to buy a two-wheeler vehicle.
Plans of owing a television, refrigerator or an air-conditioner also seem to be have been postponed by many as 3.5 per cent and 3.2 per cent respondents, respectively, in the middle income and higher income group have said that they cannot purchase the appliances in the current situation.
Over 2 per cent people in the low income group also think of buying these appliances as a distant dream now.
The hopes of owning a shop for several people of the low income group have been dashed as around 3.5 per cent respondents said that they can’t afford to own a shop now.
Plans for buying a phone or a laptop also have been deferred by many as 2.4 per cent, 1.9 per cent, 2.8 per cent people in the low income, middle income and higher income groups, respectively, said that both these technological needs are not affordable anymore.
The financial impact of the lockdown on an average Indian’s life can be gauged from the fact that 32 per cent respondents in the low income group felt that they can survive even less than month without income, while 19.6 per cent of the middle income group felt the same.
Only 28.7 per cent of them in the middle income group said that they can survive just a month with their savings and without any income, while 25 per cent in the low income group too can survive just a month on their savings.
