Most reports and studies by official agencies, international think tanks and private entities indicate the cataclysmic impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the economy and society. They anticipate that lockdowns imposed by various countries across the globe to reduce the exponential diffusion of COVID-19 (i.e. for flattening the curve by social distancing and quarantines) would adversely affect economic growth and disrupt supply chains in most sectors, on top of causing...

-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...

-Outlook India The government needs to have a large fiscal stimulus. It needs to put more money in the hands of the poor and vulnerable, Jayati Ghosh, development economist, and professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University tells Outlook. The government recently announced Rs 1.7 lakh crore economic package to help the poor deal with the impact of coronavirus and a 21-day nationwide lockdown imposed to contain the spread of the disease. Experts think...

-Hindustan Times To prevent distress, the State must manage the movement of people, food, money, schemes India is now in a lockdown. Whether this lockdown saves us from the dangers of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) or not is a question that will be answered in the future. But there is absolutely no doubt that the economy is suffering, and will continue to suffer enormously, putting millions of Indians in serious danger. The...

-The Hindu Any fiscal deficit needs to ideally redirect spending priorities to capital from consumption With revenue receipts lagging behind budget estimates and economic growth slowing sharply, there is a real risk of the Centre missing its fiscal deficit target this year. In a discussion moderated by Suresh Seshadri, N.R. Bhanumurthy and Ajit Ranade look at how the Union Budget may approach the fiscal balancing act in the face of a need...