ISSN (Print) - 0012-9976 | ISSN (Online) - 2349-8846

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Locked in a Crisis

Vol. 55, Issue No. 23, 06 Jun, 2020
Commentary
Seema Kulkarni
​This article is based on the documentation of the issues faced by women farmers across 14 districts of the Vidarbha and Marathwada regions of Maharashtra. More than ever, the present pandemic has exposed the critical weakness of public systems, since consistent expenditure cuts in the social sector have led to poor infrastructure in public health, the public distribution system, water and sanitation, and shelter homes for violence survivors, among various other facilities. This, along with the depletion of scarce natural resources, has added to the burden of women’s unpaid work.

Digital Global Warming

Vol. 55, Issue No. 23, 06 Jun, 2020
Commentary
Sekhar Sarukkai, Sundar Sarukkai
Throughout history, creation and consumption of goods have resulted in the problem of waste. Today, our most valued goods are digital, and we are producing an enormous amount of “invisible” digital waste.

Paradox of a Supply Constrained Keynesian Equilibrium

Vol. 55, Issue No. 22, 30 May, 2020
Commentary
Dipankar Dasgupta, Meenakshi Rajeev
The Indian economy, which was facing demand defi ciency and slowdown prior to the Covid-19 outbreak, plunged further with the lockdown. The present exercise represents the current problem as a typical demand constrained Keynesian equilibrium, affl icted further by demand and supply failures generated by transaction costs. The resulting scenario resembles a “supply constrained” Keynesian equilibrium. The article looks at the possible impact on prices and discusses the implications of select policy interventions for such an economy.

Examining the Covid-19 Relief Package for MSMEs

Vol. 55, Issue No. 22, 30 May, 2020
Commentary
Sangeeta Ghosh
The Covid-19 relief package for micro, small and medium enterprises and the changes to the defining criteria for MSMEs are examined. While the changes in the MSME definition open the sector to larger enterprises, the composite criteria introduce fresh ambiguities to the defining of MSMEs. Liquidity infusion measures at this juncture without adequate measures to revive demand will not help MSMEs tide over the Covid-19 lockdown-induced crisis.

Role of the Private Sector in Escalating Medical Inflation

Vol. 55, Issue No. 22, 30 May, 2020
Commentary
Pritam Datta, Chetana Chaudhuri
​ The dominance of the private sector as the provider of healthcare induces inflationary pressure on the household budget and potentially on the government health budget through the insurance route. Analysing 75th round NSS data, it is found that treatment costs in private commercial hospitals as well as in private charitable hospitals are manifold compared to public facilities.

A Gender-responsive Policy and Fiscal Response to the Pandemic

Vol. 55, Issue No. 22, 30 May, 2020
Commentary
Jashodhara Dasgupta, Sona Mitra
It is important to include women and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex+ persons in the monitoring and accountability mechanisms of the government. A policy that is based on gender concerns and a gender-sensitive fiscal response to the ongoing health crisis as well as the period after that is the need of the hour.

An Apostle of Sociological Theory

Vol. 55, Issue No. 21, 23 May, 2020
Commentary
K L Sharma
A student and fellow sociologist reminisces about Yogendra Singh, a distinguished scholar and theorist, and a founding member of sociology centres at the University of Rajasthan and Jawaharlal Nehru University.

Taxation in the Times of Covid-19

Vol. 55, Issue No. 21, 23 May, 2020
Commentary
Kajol A Punjabi
The pandemic spreading across the world has resulted in a rising demand for immediate tax relief measures worldwide. The taxpayers in India too expected that some concessions would be granted to them while paying taxes. While analysing the measures to provide tax relief by the Government of India, it may be helpful to view them in juxtaposition with the steps taken by other countries. There are some issues that are peculiar to India, and this calls for the need to adopt a holistic approach and devise a strategic plan in respect of direct tax laws.

Coerced Movements and the Unravelling of a ‘People’

Vol. 55, Issue No. 21, 23 May, 2020
Commentary
Sudeep Basu, Sarasij Majumder
There is an increasing acknowledgement of the intertwining nature of voluntary and forced migration. Also, there is an increase in xenophobic and ethnic tensions accompanied by the rise of populist politics, as migrants get labelled as others and outsiders. There is a need to take cognisance of the...

Health and Nutrition of India’s Labour Force and COVID-19 Challenges

Vol. 55, Issue No. 21, 23 May, 2020
Commentary
Uma Lele, Sangeeta Bansal, J V Meenakshi
Can the “post-COVID-19 normal” emerge better for India’s food supply and demand management, with a clear goal of zero hunger? Presently contributing one-third of the global undernutrition burden, a daunting challenge that the country must overcome now is of resuming broader based economic growth with a healthy labour force. Given this, India needs a data-driven exit and post-exit strategy from the COVID-19 lockdown that will not only mitigate the immediate food crisis faced by millions of poor households, but also reduce the long-term structural bottlenecks that limit poor households’ access to food.

Mumbai’s Struggles with Public Health Crises

Vol. 55, Issue No. 21, 23 May, 2020
Commentary
Ravi Duggal
The economic catastrophe precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the response of the dismal public health system has actually led to the heightening of the public health crisis. If the migration of workers from cities is not stopped through appropriate economic support measures, the public health crises will worsen because most migrants are returning to states that have very poor healthcare systems with limited capacities to deal with such crises. This pandemic also offers a political opportunity for governments to focus on strengthening the primary healthcare and public health systems through bold experimentation and strategies.

Significance of Testing for Identification of COVID-19

Vol. 55, Issue No. 20, 16 May, 2020
Commentary
Sourindra Mohan Ghosh, Imrana Qadeer
The official and media discourse in India often focuses on the cumulative or daily detection of infected cases irrespective of the number of people tested and thus confuses the issue of disease progression. Based on the analysis of the number of infected cases identified and the number of people tested in eight states in India, it is emphasised that identification and quarantine of those who are infected slows down the spread of the disease. Mobilising resources towards the primary healthcare system for expanding contact tracing and investing in additional facilities to quarantine and treat infected patients is suggested.

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