-Hindustan Times Plan for a Rs 20 lakh crore-stimulus. It is needed for both immediate relief and economic revival India has seen among the most stringent prevention responses to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) so far. With a complete lockdown for three weeks already, and a further 19 days added on Tuesday, it has hit the maximum in an index of stringency designed by the United Kingdom’s Overseas Development Institute. But its economic...

-The Hindu Community leaders and democratically elected office holders must play a key role in preventing dangerous rumours In 1984, just as Delhi was engulfed by a pogrom against the Sikhs, the city was rife with the rumour that they had poisoned the entire water supply. Such rumours are not new. For centuries, European Jews were falsely accused of poisoning wells during wars, epidemics or civic unrest. Late 18th century Paris, witness...

-The Hindu Business Line In a bid to curb the spread of Covid-19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended the ongoing lockdown till May 3. While the move was imperative to save lives, taking stock of the massive impact of the extended lockdown on jobs and livelihoods is equally critical. More importantly, the Centre will have to announce big bang fiscal measures soon, to address the fallout of the virus-induced lockdown that...

-PTI/ The Hindu Rs. 13,855 cr. gone towards PM-KISAN first instalment payment More than 30 crore Poor people have received financial assistance of ₹28,256 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman last month to protect them from the impact of the lockdown. As part of the ₹1.70 lakh crore relief package, the government announced free foodgrains and cash doles to women and Poor senior citizens and...

-The Telegraph The government and the elite know nothing of the working Poor’s problems A very distinguished virologist whom I happen to know believes that the lockdown in India was an overreaction. His argument is that since the coronavirus was coming to India from outside, testing and quarantining people coming from abroad, and those with whom they might have been in contact within the country, should have been quite sufficient to prevent...