I was happy to read the story in which FICCI President Sangita Reddy has said that India’s strategy of dealing with the Covid-19 crisis has paid off. She reckons that Indian Economy is set to bounce back and will emerge stronger.
So it means that everything the government has done has paid off, right?
She still tries to imply that more “bold actions” need to be taken and “growth agenda” ought to be pushed vigourously.
The Government of India should be applauded for sticking with its bold agricultural reforms. Now, even Rajasthan has passed a “State Act” designed to blunt the effects of what they think is an anti farmer move by the Central Government.
It is unlikely the acts designed by Punjab and Rajasthan –both Congress run States–are going to pass Constitutional muster.
Since the daily covid numbers have fallen below 50,000, it is now increasingly likely that Government would open all aspects economy such as education and other hospitality businesses.
Hotel occupancy rates have also risen to about 80 % in many hotels and experts are calling it the “revenge tourism” unleashed by months of lockdown.
Overall, the news in terms of recovery is positive. In a poor country like India, an extended lockdown was unsustainable anyway. Some would say, India made the wrong call in choosing to lockdown with severest restrictions placed on ordinary people.
But if India manages to show the world its sharp recovery to normalcy while keeping Covid numbers decent then no one can blame the government for exercising extra precaution in the initial days of the pandemic.
However, it is also instructive to note that Great Britain is again going to lockdown after the wave of Coronavirus has returned. Therefore, in India, much caution is the need of the times. The pandemic may yet show how potent it is in crippling the normal lives of people by returning.
