The world is in for a long haul in this battle against Covid-19.
Published on : Monday 01-06-2020
Contrary to the general expectation, the attempts at breaking the chain with a prolonged lockdown has only slowed down the deadly onslaught of the Corona virus, not stopped it.
What has stopped instead is the economic activity, which is now causing much distress as evident in the mass migration of people moving from the harsh realities of urban industrial hubs that no longer provide wages to the relative comforts and familiar environs of their rural homes. The fact that this crisis was not anticipated and factored in the planning process has only complicated in what is an extremely difficult situation. Never in the history of mankind has the sea seemed so deep, and the devil so determined in its evil intent, and humanity left stranded with nowhere to turn. For a country already battling on many fronts, nature opened yet another with the Amphan cyclone which unleashed its naked fury on the hapless east coast States of Odisha and West Bengal, causing further misery and damage, even as timely warning and evacuation of people from the affected regions prevented largescale loss of lives.
As the country entered the 4th phase of lockdown that will continue up to May 30th, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on the evening of May 12, 2020, and announced a special economic package of Rs 20 lakh crore that aims to make India self- reliant (Aatma Nirbhar Bharat) as part of national efforts to deal with the crisis that has wreaked havoc around the world. The amount of the package is 10 per cent of the country’s GDP and is expected to provide the much needed stimulus. In his address the prime minister emphasised that humanity would not accept defeat from the coronavirus but the people have to stay safe and move forward. The prime minister also stated that the CoronaVirus may remain with humanity for life and it is for the people not to remain restricted by it. Wearing of face masks and observing social distance will be the new normal, and hence the next stage of lockdown will be part of new way of life with steps to open up sections of the economy.
Apart from the special economic package, the Prime Minister stressed on five pillars that would form the foundation of the economy under the ‘new normal 1. Quantum jump in economy – not merely incremental 2. Infrastructure for a modern country 3. Technology driven system for the present 4. Vibrant demography and the world’s largest democracy and 5. Demand and supply chain optimisation to meet the same. It now remains to be seen how soon the full economic activity can resume under the ‘new normal’.
