Updated Jan 25, 2021 · 03:36 pm Stranded migrant workers wait to board a special train to Bihar state from MGR central railway station in Chennai on June 18, 2020. | Arun Sankar/AFP
A report by non-profit group Oxfam on Monday revealed that the wealth of India’s 100 billionaires including Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani, soared during the coronavirus pandemic, while millions of others in the country lost their livelihoods. The wealth of Indian billionaires increased by 35% during the coronavirus-induced lockdown, according to “The Inequality Virus” report, published as global leaders attend the World Economic Forum’s Davos summit in Switzerland.
“India’s 100 billionaires have seen their fortunes increase by Rs 12,97,822 crores since March 2020, enough to give every one of the 138 million poorest Indian people a cheque for Rs 94,045 each,” it said.
The report said the increase in wealth of the top 11 billionaires of India during the pandemic could sustain the rural job scheme MGNREGA for 10 years or the Health Ministry for 10 years.
"It would take an unskilled worker 10,000 years to make what Mukesh Ambani made in an hour during the pandemic and 3 years to make what he made in a second."
New Delhi, January 25
India’s 100 top billionaires have seen their fortunes increase by Rs 12,97,822 crore since March last year when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country and this amount is en
New Delhi, Jan 25: India's 100 top billionaires have seen their fortunes increase by Rs 12,97,822 crore since March last year when the Covid-19 pandemic hit the country and this amount is enough to give 13.8 crore poorest Indians a cheque for Rs 94,045 each.