Disinfect the economy

Large policy interventions required in the near term

The world is still coming to terms with the havoc caused by the outbreak of COVID-19. India decided to shut itself down completely on Sunday, but many parts of the country are likely to remain locked down for weeks, with the Railways deciding to stop all passenger trains, including suburban service, till March 31. Such shutdowns, which are necessary to contain the virus, will of course have a significant impact on economic activity. While the government has done well to announce an economic response task force under Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to come up with measures to support the economy,