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@article{179638,
        author = {Sachin Tiwari and Sachin Gairola and Dhanpreet Kaur and Preeti Saxena and Harsh Kumar and Arpit Bisht},
        title = {Navigating Workforce Challenges in Nainital During COVID-19: Socio-Economic and Policy Perspectives},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2025},
        volume = {11},
        number = {12},
        pages = {7043-7051},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=179638},
        abstract = {The present study aimed to investigate the 
impact of COVID-19 across different work forces in 
This study investigates the impact of COVID-19 on 
various workforce groups in Nainital, Uttarakhand, 
India. Data collection was conducted through field 
surveys between 2022 and 2024 using semi-structured 
interviews with open-ended questions, employing 
purposive sampling. Most of the local population 
comprises daily wage laborers, shopkeepers, street 
vendors, transporters, fishermen, and individuals 
associated with tourism. Comparative analysis revealed 
that tourism-dependent workers were the most 
affected, followed by those in the fishing sector. The 
pandemic's economic consequences were primarily 
driven by the fear of disease transmission and 
uncertainty surrounding lockdown durations. 
The study also highlights the disproportionate impact 
on women, who were entirely displaced from the labor 
market, exacerbating household unemployment and 
reducing per capita income. Additionally, findings 
indicate a decline in community cohesion, as self
centered behaviors led to widespread violations of "stay 
home" directives. As urbanization trends continue to 
rise, there is an urgent need for improved city-level 
governance, including long-term planning, investment 
in healthcare and education, and coordinated crisis 
response strategies. Strengthening these mechanisms 
will enhance preparedness for future pandemics and 
public health emergencies. This study contributes to the 
academic discourse by offering an interdisciplinary 
perspective on the socio-economic ramifications of 
COVID-19 and the necessity for sustainable urban 
resilience policies.},
        keywords = {COVID-19; Labour force; Nainital.},
        month = {May},
        }