Manju Menon, Kanchi Kohli* The Modi government has been trying very hard to persuade all TV viewers that we are not in the midst of a COVID-19 pandemic mismanagement disaster. The Union finance minister’s delivered a five-part presentation recently on a plan for economic revival. This plan to pump up the economy through loans and … More Ecology needs to underpin welfarism. We must discard economic growth addicted to GDP

By Moin Qazi* The field of social entrepreneurship has attracted great global interest on account of its role in providing sustainable solutions to a diverse range of challenging environmental and social problems – health, poverty and climate change – with limited resources. Social entrepreneurs are drawn by a variety of social missions. They are passionate … More Key to equitable, inclusive development is compassionate and sustainable capitalism

By Debraj Ray, S. Subramanian, Lore Vandewalle* On March 24, 2020, the Government of India ordered a nationwide lockdown for 21 days as a preventive measure against the spread of the coronavirus. The lockdown – in full force as we write – restricts 1.3 billion people from leaving their homes. Transport services are suspended, educational … More Indian experience: Scylla of widespread viral infection, Charybdis of socio-economic lockdown

In a letter to Vijay Rupani, chief minister of Gujarat, 40 senior experts and activists* have sought emergency support for urban informal sector workers in cities of Gujarat to combat COVID-19 pandemic. Text of the letter: We are writing to you on behalf of a network of civil society organisations, researchers, urban practitioners, informal sector … More Need for emergency support for urban informal sector workers of Gujarat to combat COVID-19

In the wake of 21-days lockout, the Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha has demanded immediate expansion of welfare, testing and health services in the state. Text of the statement: Jharkhand, like most of India, has woken up late to the COVID-19 pandemic and is yet to provide adequate social security to the people. Although no COVID-19 case … More PDS coverage should be made universal in rural areas, urban slums, all working people

Letter sent to Central and state governments by the NREGA Sangharsh Morcha,  endorsed by more than 50 senior activists and experts*, seeking emergency measures to deal with COVID 19: The COVID 19 pandemic continues to be a serious public health issue and will possibly have a devastating impact on the lives and livelihoods of crores of … More COVID 19: Strides in public welfare plans over the years can help provide necessary relief to needy

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* Years ago, when I could not get a reservation to return to Delhi from Deoria, I boarded a bus for Lucknow at 4:30 in the evening, hoping that it would take me there late in the night and would then board another bus for Delhi. But the bus got stuck in … More Fear of coronavirus killing poor, no customers at dhabas, tea shops along modern expressway