Context: As India heads towards completing six months of being in virtual mode and restricted mobility because of the COVID-19 pandemic in September, the Parliamentary Standing Committee for Home Affairs is examining the impact of the lockdown on citizens’ mental health.

Details:

• Continuous exposure to computer or phone screens will surely have an impact on eyesight.
• The Committee wanted to know what has been the impact of multiple stages of lockdown because of the pandemic on collective psychology and individual mental health.
• Older people, who ordinarily do not go out of their homes, are having psychological issues simply at the idea of being forced indoors. And younger children are asking their parents if they had led this kind of a restrictive childhood,
• The panel also inquired about the inter-operability of ration cards (one nation, one ration card scheme), provision for food for the urban poor, issues related to the migrant workers, availability of loans to smaller businesses among others.

Reference: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/coronavirus-house-panel-looks-at-impact-of-lockdown-on-mental-health/article32479915.ece

Download PDF