COVID and Governance

Intended or not, projects under the Affordable Rental Housing Complexes scheme will compete with private rental housing options in Indian cities. Examining the scheme guidelines and using data from the National Sample Survey Office, this article establishes the dimensions of this competition, and the chances of ARHC projects to participate in the `1.2 lakh crore rental housing market in urban India. ARHC projects could have better quality/rent ratios as compared to private rental housing. However, their profit-centred models will face locational and management disadvantages, and also reduce tenure security, leading to lack of demand and limited outcomes.

Countries across the world are relying on trial-and-error interventions to arrest the COVID-19 pandemic. But, even as health systems are close to breaking down and economies are flailing while underprivileged citizens are battling unprecedented social and financial catastrophes, most governments are failing to provide appropriate social security and relief.

In this short note, we critically examine two proposals specific to agriculture announced as part of Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan and the subsequent ordinances. We argue that while the investment in infrastructure is a welcome step, market reforms proposed are inadequate to improve the prospects of smallholder farmers. An enabling ecosystem that enhances the market power of farmers must be created for smallholders to take advantage of the reform measures.

One of the many effects of COVID-19 pandemic disaster is also visible on legislative, executive and financial federalism in India. The constitutional mandate for functioning of centre on behalf of states has been missed and recourse to disaster has been taken to undertake unified but unconsented measures.

India’s management of the COVID-19 global pandemic has been marked by excessive centralisation, lawless lawmaking and non-consultative decision-making processes at the union government level. This has created an atmosphere of confusion in the management of the disease, leading to India becoming one of the global hotspots and cases fast spiralling out of the control of local authorities.