Best of BS Opinion: India's fight against Covid, the GDP estimation debate

Here is the best of Business Standard's opinion pieces for Friday

The omicron variant, which may well be now circulating in India given the sharp increase in positivity rates in many parts of the country, has shaken up the government’s approach to the vaccination programme. The government has announced that a booster dose would become available to sections of the population, and gave emergency use authorisations for two new vaccines and an antiviral pill. In this context, our lead editorial notes that the government must also ensure that it makes advance purchases on the right scale. There is now a real chance to accelerate the completion of India’s vaccination programme and also open up the booster dose to all adults. Read here 

In other views:

Economist N R Bhanumurthy talks about the quality of gross domestic product data. Read here 

In another piece I suggest ways to recalibrate the disinvestment programme. Read here  

QUOTE OF THE DAY

 

“The latest genome sequencing report showed 46 per cent of the samples have Omicron. These people include those who do not have any travel history. It means Omicron is now inside Delhi.”

 

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain