-The Indian Express Last week, the ICMR brought out an advisory on pooled testing, ideally in districts where incidence of COVID-19 is low. Faced with criticism about insufficient testing and the reality of LIMited resources, India has decided go for pooled testing in districts where no cases have been reported. This would on the one hand give data on whether these really are zero-case districts, and on the other, save resources. * What...

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...

-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 —...

-The Hindu They are at the bottom of the pyramid and have little access to healthcare, say migration experts S. Irudaya Rajan and Ginu Zacharaia Oommen. Migrants labourers have been among the worst hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most Indian migrants in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are at the bottom of the pyramid in their host countries. Infected in large numbers, and with LIMited access to healthcare, that is...

-Business Standard Agriculture is a state subject and the Central government has LIMited powers to ensure implementation of the guidelines Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called upon state governments to quickly make necessary changes to rules governing their mandis so that direct marketing of farm produce can be done without crowding the markets. Addressing the chief ministers during a four-hour long meeting to discuss the modalities for extending the lockdown, Modi said...