-Livemint.com * India must use this moment to redirect government energies towards truly improving public health for all * India has the legal and industrial infrastructure to produce high-quality and affordable medicines, but we have hobbled it. The Indian patent system needs urgent attention BENGALURU: As we enter the tenth week of lockdown, it is hard to get past debates on the effectiveness of India’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. The relatively low...

-The Telegraph Labour ministry weighs proposal for essential goods, economists advise time limit The central government is likely to allow select factories that produce essential items to engage workers beyond the stipulated eight hours a day. The move is aimed at curbing footfall to ensure social distancing at workplaces and also averting a disruption in the supply chain of products like grocery items, medicines and processed food. The suggestion for such a step —...

-TheWire.in At a time when the Rabi crop is ready for harvest and the Kharif crop will be sown, quick and effective policy responses are required. Amidst the COVID-19 crisis, India has announced a nationwide 21-day lockdown, shutting down all businesses except essential services. The government has assured that the supply of food items and other necessities won’t be hindered during this period. While social distancing has been adopted as a measure...

-TheWire.in "There was no ventilation. It was pitch dark inside and police gave us 10 mins to get into the container truck." Mumbai: On March 31, solicitor general Tushar Mehta claimed before the Supreme Court that there was “no person walking on the roads in an attempt to reach his/her home towns/villages”. He further claimed, under oath, that all migrant labourers had been shifted to shelter homes and are being provided with basic...

-NDTV Coronavirus India Lockdown: Across India, there have been reports of grocery, medicine and food delivery agents being abused and assaulted by policemen. New Delhi: E-commerce companies delivering essentials like groceries, medicines and food are facing attacks and harassment from law enforcement officials and security guards, leading to severe inconvenience in times of an unprecedented crisis, online retailers have said, calling for an urgent intervention from the government. A huge amount of...