Govt mulls post-coronavirus strategy

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on Monday directed the cabinet to prepare a list of 10 major decisions and 10 priority areas to focus on once the lockdown is lifted. The Union government is considering a phased unwinding of the 21-day shutdown.

The strategy captures the tricky trade-off that India needs to make between prioritizing saving lives and livelihoods in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 100 people already in the country. The effects of the lockown are already appearing in the economy. For example, according to the Purchasing Managers’ Index for India, Indian manufacturing sector growth slowed to a four-month low in March. Further, due to the slump in the country’s economic activity, S&P Global Ratings cut its estimate for India’s gross domestic product growth to 3.5%. 

Meanwhile, an official statement said, “While mentioning that due to the emergent challenges, the country needs to lessen its dependence on other nations, he asked all departments to maintain an objective index on how their work will promote Make in India”.