Mankind is engaged in a war- with a virus and the ultimate survival. Everything seems disconcerting. A weak-in-the-knees Indian economy is struggling to breathe.
Foreign investments are being pulled out, making India’s stock market lose approx. 40 per cent. IMF projected India’s growth rate in 2020 at, 19 per cent.
Summing it all together, the coronavirus pandemic is breaking the economy’s heart.
Atamnirbhar Bharat Abhiyan- the 1.70 lakh crore stimulus package amid lockdown and the Reserve Bank of India’s decisions served as a fly-by-night as the economy demanded liquidity and big economic reforms, not mere band-aids!
I am, at a loss of words to capture or articulate the tragedy of India that took a brutal walk to home struggled to choose between lives and livelihoods.
Government’s words were impressive, the numbers were manipulative but, they were not enough to feed the empty eyes and stomachs of the migrant workers.
When India needed cash in her hand to create demand, the centre presented her with lucrative – a ‘planned liability’.
No one ensured migrant workers’ safety and security, no law or scheme was rolled out to safeguard their lives, but they were promised rice and gram without ration cards, just in case they reach their ultimate destination.
The system failed hungry, jobless, homeless millions; the government led them down and drowned! The images of their struggle will forever haunt our heart!
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This all could have been avoided if the lockdown was planned. Countries like Singapore, Bangladesh and South Africa gave 4- or 7-day notice for its people to prepare for the nationwide lockdown.
While India, which was at 550 positive cases and 9 deaths, enforced nationwide lockdown just a few hours after the Prime Minister’s speech on 24th March 2020. Why?
It looks like the lockdown failed on all fronts. The predictions and concerns rising for India’s future are alarming. Its high time that the government should form a task-force to create a strong foundation for an Atrmanirbhar Bharat and uplift its worst affected population out from the dark.
As the government is pushing the economy to get its wheel moving, they should give special attention to the automotive, aviation, tourism, construction, infrastructure and hospitality industries.
Our imports should not be restricted to China only; we need to diversify our marketplace. 5-Kilogram food grains per person and a transfer of Rs. 500 into their Jan Dhan Yojana bank accounts is pitiful for 120 million-plus migrant workers, who are the backbone of India’s economy.
The initiative and reforms must contain equal opportunities and relief for every Indian. As French philosopher, Ernst Renan had said in his famous essay, ‘What a Nation’,
“If you cannot cry together, you are not a nation.”
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