How to Make It Work It Make to How

OC 60 ` APRIL 27, 2020 APRIL 27,

THE GAP TESTING

AHEAD OF THE CURVE THE OF AHEAD STRATEGY HOW TO MAKE IT WORK IT MAKE TO HOW

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FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

s the deadly coronavirus rages across the world, it of treatment. The US did not go for a lockdown either, but it has put many facets of a country to test—its medical was, until recently, complacent about its strategy. South Korea infrastructure, its economy, its social security net, the has lost 229 persons to the disease so far, the US, over 28,000. A discipline of its people and the nature of its polity. Most Spain and Italy also locked down late, and the death toll in these importantly, it has tested the mettle of its leaders. The president countries too has been punishing. Complacency, clearly, is not an of one of the richest and most powerful countries in the world— option. These are things India must keep in mind as it reopens for the idiosyncratic Donald Trump—has been floundering, with business on May 4. But it should also remember that it is a poor disastrous consequences. He was first in denial of the crisis, then country which cannot afford an indefinite lockdown. he acted too late, causing confusion with dubious medical advice, quarrelling with state governors over jurisdiction, seeming more he costs to the Indian economy are already staggering. interested in reviving the economy than in saving lives and, in a Industry bodies and analysts estimate the world’s big- final piece de resistance, withdrawing funding from the World gest lockdown is costing the country $26 billion or Health Organization. No wonder, the US is the worst hit in terms T Rs 2 lakh crore per work week, and there is every likeli- of cases and deaths. There was also British prime minister Boris hood that we may not grow at all this financial year. It is, there- Johnson, who meandered around the crisis before taking ac- fore, imperative for the government to restart the economy. The tion, and ended up being afflicted himself. Then there have been process has begun, with the home ministry issuing guidelines exemplary leaders like French president Emmanuel Macron and allowing agricultural and MSME operations, transportation of German chancellor Angela Merkel, who have demon- goods without distinction and resumption of manufacturing in strated firm resolve in the face of the crisis. industries with access control. In a sense, their choices were much easier The government seems to have opted for a gradual than those before India’s prime minister. recovery rather than a sudden restart for various They are leaders of developed countries reasons. There is no demand, so it doesn’t make sense which have excellent medical facilities and to run major industries. The second priority is to get an enviable social welfare system. Naren- the economy back on track while ensuring there is dra Modi, on the other hand, has to bal- no resurgence of the disease. The government has, ance not just lives and livelihoods but also therefore, identified ‘hotspots’, or districts with high lives versus lives, considering the country’s incidence of COVID-19, for focused attention. A vital precarious financial state; 269 million, or element of this strategy will be testing and the use of 21 per cent of the country’s people, live below technology to track and treat the infected. With Lock- the poverty line, and will be pushed down even down 2.0, the government has given itself some breathing further if the lockdown continues endlessly. space to enhance medical infrastructure and help the needy. It could not have been easy for him, therefore, to announce, on These are some of the key aspects of the exit plan that our cover April 14, that the lockdown was being extended by another 19 days. package analyses. The lead story, by Group Editorial Director But Narendra Modi did it with conviction, combining firmness (Publishing) Raj Chengappa, examines what’s behind the strategy with optimism. It was also a collaborative rather than a unilateral and the imperatives ahead. Associate Editor Sonali Acharjee decision as several chief ministers, all battling spikes in CO- focuses on the critical aspect of testing. Deputy Editor Amarnath VID-19 cases in their respective states, favoured an extension of K. Menon looks at the strategy to manage the hotspots while the lockdown. History will be the better judge of this decision, but Deputy Editor Shwweta Punj assesses whether the new guidelines there is no disputing the necessity of the lockdown. A study by the expected after April 20 will be enough to revive the vital MSME Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) estimates that if even sector. MAIL TODAY photo editor Pankaj Nangia, meanwhile, takes one person is not isolated, he or she can infect 406 people in 30 us to the frontlines of the war—inside the intensive care unit of a days. At the end of the first phase of the lockdown, India reported designated COVID-19 hospital in Delhi. 12,338 infections and 420 deaths. Testing remains a big issue. The Tough times call for tough measures. The lockdown will conti- slow pick-up in testing means we don’t have enough data to accu- nue. There will be hiccups in getting the economy back on the rails. rately predict if we have achieved what we set out to do on March At the same time, the disease and death will have to be kept in 24—break the chain of infections and arrest community spread check. It is, no doubt, a long haul. But with a proactive government of the disease. India’s rate of testing as on April 16 was an abysmal and clear-headed leadership, coupled with the enterprise and forti- 196 per million. To reach South Korea’s level of testing (10,550 tude of its people, India, I firmly believe, will overcome this crisis. per million), we need to test 13.9 million people, and to match the UK’s 4,750 per million, we need to test around 6 million people as against the mere 258,730 individuals who had been tested till April 16. Clearly, we have a long way to go. For, unless we know the (Aroon Purie) size of the problem, we won’t know how to manage it. It is a race against time, as the disease spreads like wildfire. Worse, there is a P.S.: In this crisis, authentic information is your best weapon. worldwide shortage of testing kits and expertise. We at INDIA TODAY remain committed to bringing you clarity There is no one playbook in the fight against the virus. Different and correct information. A PDF version of this issue is available countries have to fight it differently. South Korea, for ins tance, free on www.indiatoday.in/emag or www.indiatoday.in/magzter. chose aggressive testing over a complete lockdown. It tested a We also bring you daily Insights on India’s response to the crisis. quarter of its population in six weeks and invested in new forms Log in to www.indiatoday.in/india-today-magazine-insight.

Illustration by SIDDHANT JUMDE APRIL 27, 2020 INDIA TODAY 3 UPFRONT LEISURE AAROGYA SETU: LONG Q&A: NEENA www.indiatoday.in ARM OF THE APP PG 5 GUPTA PG 66

CHAIRMAN AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Aroon Purie VICE CHAIRPERSON: Kalli Purie GROUP EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Raj Chengappa INSIDE GROUP CREATIVE EDITOR: Nilanjan Das; GROUP PHOTO EDITOR: Bandeep Singh MANAGING EDITORS: Kai Jabir Friese, Rajesh Jha CONSULTING EDITOR: Ajit Kumar Jha (Research) EXECUTIVE EDITORS: S. Sahaya Ranjit, Sandeep Unnithan MUMBAI: M.G. Arun SENIOR DEPUTY EDITORS: Uday Mahurkar, Manisha Saroop HYDERABAD: Amarnath K. Menon DEPUTY EDITOR: Shweta Punj SENIOR EDITORS: Kaushik Deka, Sasi Nair, Anilesh Mahajan MUMBAI: Suhani Singh; JAIPUR: Rohit Parihar SENIOR ASSOCIATE EDITORS: Ashish Mukherjee 16 MUMBAI: Kiran Dinkar Tare; PATNA: Amitabh Srivastava ASSOCIATE EDITORS: Shougat Dasgupta, Sonali Acharjee KOLKATA: Romita Sengupta; BHOPAL: Rahul Noronha; THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Jeemon Jacob ASSISTANT EDITOR: Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri PUNE: Aditi S. Pai PHOTO DEPARTMENT: Vikram Sharma (Deputy Photo Editor), Yasir Iqbal (Deputy Chief Photographer), Rajwant Singh Rawat (Principal Photographer), Chandra Deep Kumar (Senior Photographer); MUMBAI: Mandar Suresh Deodhar (Chief Photographer), Danesh Adil Jassawala (Photographer); KOLKATA: Subir Halder (Principal Photographer); CHENNAI: N.G. Jaison (Senior Photographer) PHOTO RESEARCHERS: Prabhakar Tiwari (Chief Photo Researcher), Saloni Vaid (Principal Photo Researcher), Shubhrojit Brahma (Senior Photo Researcher) CHIEF OF GRAPHICS: Tanmoy Chakraborty ART DEPARTMENT: Sanjay Piplani (Senior Art Director); Angshuman De (Art Director); Devajit Bora (Deputy Art Director); Vikas Verma (Associate Art Director); Bhoomesh Dutt Sharma (Senior Designer) Siddhant Jumde (Senior Illustrator) PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT: Harish Agarwal (Chief of Production), Naveen Gupta (Chief Coordinator)

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AAROGYA SETU THE ‘LONG ARM’ OF AN APP

By Kaushik Deka

n his April 14 address that announced the extension of the coronavirus lockdown till May 3, Prime Minister Naren- Idra Modi appealed to Indians to follow a seven-pronged strategy to combat the pandemic. One of the measures was to download the Aarogya Setu contact-tracing app. The app, conceived by NITI Aayog, has been developed in two weeks by the National Informatics Centre in collaboration with the developers of makemytrip.com and 1mg.com. Aarogya Setu is designed on the premise that if two mobile phones are within Bluetooth range of each other, their users are potentially close enough to transmit the novel coronavirus to one another. Since its launch on April 2, the app, which is available in 11 Indian languages, has registered nearly 50 million downloads. A World Bank report released on April 12 says innovative solutions like the Aarogya Setu could greatly help track contagious diseases while a Uni- versity of Oxford study considers digital contact-tracing as effective, provided there is widespread adoption. Despite such praise, Aarogya Setu has attracted criticism over privacy issues as it seeks users’ personal information, such as name, age, sex, profession and countries visited in the past 30 days. Every 15 minutes, it collects data about the user’s location and the places the user

Illustration by SIDDHANT JUMDE APRIL 27, 2020 INDIA TODAY 5 UPFRONT HOW visits. According to the app’s terms TraceTogether app doesn’t collect of service, personal information and location data either. location data are securely stored on In its guidelines on using technol- AAROGYA the mobile device. The information is ogy to combat COVID-19, the Euro- uploaded to a central server only when pean Commission has advised against a user tests positive for COVID-19 or processing data on location or move- a self-assessment of symptoms indi- ment of individuals. Aarogya Setu asks SETU cates the possibility of infection. for GPS location even though this has no role in contact-tracing. “Location hile uploading to the server, data will not be used for surveillance,” WORKS W the information is hashed says NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant. with a unique, randomly “It is used only for hotspots or where generated device ID (DiD) number, more testing is required. The identity which is used to identify the user in of a COVID-19 person will never be he Aarogya Setu all subsequent app-related activi- revealed to anyone.” contact-tracing app is ties. “The DiD is reconnected to the The app’s privacy policy states that T a key resource ad- personal information only when the the information is uploaded to a cloud dition in India’s ﬁght against user’s risk of infection is so high that server in anonymised and aggregated COVID-19, garnering nearly 50 the government needs to tell the datasets only “for the purpose of gen- million downloads in less than person to get tested,” says Rahul Mat- erating reports, heat maps and other a fortnight besides praise in a than, a cyber-law expert consulted statistical visualisations”. Critics, how- World Bank report. Its de- by the Union government during the ever, argue that it is unclear as to what sign, however, has raised the development of the app. the government views as ‘anonymised’. hackles of privacy advocates When two registered users come In a detailed report on contact-tracing and cybersecurity experts, within each other’s Bluetooth range, apps, New Delhi-based NGO Inter- who feel the app seeks too their apps automatically exchange net Freedom Foundation (IFF) has much personal information. DiDs and information about where flagged the app’s shortcomings in They are not convinced by the contact happened and for what terms of data collection and storage, the official assertion that only duration. Every phone builds a log of purpose limitation and transparency. data of COVID-positive users every other phone in its close proxim- The app’s privacy policy states that is uploaded to the central ity, thereby creating a social chain information will be purged from the server—in anonymised form— of people a user has come in contact phone after 30 days and from the and purged 60 days after with. If such a user tests positive for server after 45 days if the user does not such users have been COVID-19, the system alerts all those test COVID-positive in that period. declared cured. who came in close proximity of the Information about users who test pos- person. Such users are advised to itive will be purged 60 days after they quarantine themselves and, should have been declared cured. However, they develop symptoms, get tested. personal data collected while register- Like Aarogya Setu user Aarti Singh ing with the app will be retained till (name changed) from Delhi, who the account exists and, thereafter, “as received an alert when a buyer at a long as required under any law in force grocery store she had been to tested for the time being”. Nowhere in the positive. “The app sent me an alert policy, though, is the legal requirement because it had recorded my location,” for this defined. says the 42-year-old architect. To “Users have no way of checking if Singh’s relief, her RT-PCR (reverse the government has deleted the data. transcription polymerase chain reac- They should have a judicial remedy tion) test turned out to be negative. to hold the government account- Cyber security experts claim contact-tracing apps in other countries, such as Singapore and Israel, are Similar apps in other not so intrusive. Singapore’s Trace- countries are less Together app requires only the user’s intrusive. Singapore’s mobile number. Data is transferred to TraceTogether app a central server only after a COVID- requires only the positive user grants consent. The user’s mobile number and does not record 6 INDIA TODAY APRIL 27, 2020 location data PERSONAL A DETAILS SOUGHT (while downloading app) able,” says Sidharth Deb, policy and up to the test of proportionality,” says Name parliamentary counsel at IFF. The Amber Sinha, executive director at Phone number other sore point is that the liability the not-for-profit Centre for Internet clause exempts the government in & Society. “Only data of COVID- Age Sex the event of unauthorised access 19-infected users should be pulled to Profession and modification of a user’s infor- the cloud server.” Countries visited in past 30 days mation. Kant allays such fears. “The For Matthan, this criticism does government will not use the data not hold water as the details of only gathered by the app for any purpose those infected are uploaded to the other than COVID-19 medical server. “Let’s assume 100,000 people examination,” he asserts. will be infected in India. So, the data APP’S While the personal informa- of only 100,000 people will be pulled ACCESS tion collected cannot be disclosed or out by the government for analysis B Knows your transferred to a third party, critics and it will remain on the server for GPS location point out that since the privacy policy only 60 days. So that’s the canvas of does not specify which government the app in a country with 1.3 billion department owns the data, it remains people,” he explains. a property of the Union govern- Deb says the fact that the app’s METHOD ment and is, arguably, open to use code is not open source compromises by all agencies, including the police. transparency. “The Singapore tracing 1 Personal information and location data The other fear is that the govern- app has a dedicated website, which are stored on the user’s mobile phone ment could significantly expand its details how the data is collected, and a unique device ID number (DiD) is generated. The app can log data from surveillance powers by combining the app’s data with existing government all mobile devices within the Bluetooth NITI Aayog CEO range of the user’s phone. databases, many of which are seeded with mobile numbers. Amitabh Kant says 2 On testing COVID-positive, a user’s data Deb questions a clause that the data gathered by and details of all people who came within allows the government to share the the Bluetooth range of his/ her phone Aarogya Setu will not are uploaded to the central cloud server personal data with “other necessary be used for any other in anonymised form. Alerts go to such and relevant persons” for COVID-19 purpose except people to go for quarantine/ testing. related “medical and administra- COVID-19 medical tive interventions”. “Administrative examination DATA ANALYSIS AND ACTION functions can also mean that such information can be used towards, say, implementing lockdown and quar- GREEN YELLOW antine orders. This is against global stored, used and deleted. The source No symptom, no Symptomatic but best practices. For instance, the EU code is published for public scrutiny,” travel history no travel history says that to comply with its General he says. Aarogya Setu, in contrast, or contact Zero risk, safe Data Protection Regulation, the data prohibits users from reverse engi- with COVID-19 Social patient(s) collected by contact-tracing solutions neering the backend source code, distancing should be used only for healthcare-re- which means independent research- Moderate lated responses to the crisis,” he says. ers cannot ascertain the veracity of Data deleted risk after 45 days Matthan argues that the health official claims that the app is doing Self-isolation ministry cannot possibly work in this and not that. Data deleted isolation while combating CO- Despite these concerns, the of- ORANGE after 45 days, if VID-19, and inter-departmental ficial line is that Aarogya Setu has not infected Travel history, cooperation and sharing of informa- enough built-in security features to contact with tion is critical. perform its legitimate task without COVID-19 India has an estimated 400 infringing upon the privacy of citi- RED patient(s) million or more smartphone users. If zens. Privacy concerns can be dealt Tested positive Graphic by High risk even half of them download Aarogya with by legislating sunset clauses on Located and Setu, it could create a contact-tracing tracking systems,” says the World User, auth- quarantined for map of 200 million—15 per cent of Bank report. The next goal is to orities alerted; TANMOY CHAKRABORTY treatment the total population. “In a unique scale up Aarogya Setu by integrat- testing advised Data deleted crisis, the app may have a very legiti- ing it with feature phones through Data deleted after 60 days mate objective, but it doesn’t stand IVR support. ■ after 45 days, if from the day of not infected getting cured APRIL 27, 2020 INDIA TODAY 7 Action advised Data retention UPFRONT

GUEST COLUMN BUILDING A GAUTAM BHATIA POST-COVID REALITY

t hardly needs stating that the first two decades of this current situation is the loudest call to break fresh ground. century have led humanity into serial crises. Climate Can design then ask important civic questions? In cities I change, terrorism, economic meltdowns, growing reeling with inequities and physical shortage of space, can a nationalism, viral attacks and, finally, a pandemic. The family of four learn to live in a quarter of the area occupied rising cascade of catastrophes seems to be our selected path by the current middle-class home? Could its compaction into the future. It is obvious that most such disasters are also include other ideas of vertical vegetable gardens, solar the result of failing political and economic policies, coupled kitchens and work space to make it an efficient comfort with the lack of will and consensus between governments. machine? Since work from home would be the new reality, Just look at global ambitions related to climate change: movement in the city would be unnecessary. Could then as part of the Paris Agreement, governments grudgingly battery-less mini solar cars operate locally and only in agreed to limit global temperature daylight, forcing people to complete rise to less than two degrees; all this their daily tasks before dark, in while cyclones, forest fires and famines accordance with the sun’s rotation? will continue. Unwilling to give up With schools, colleges, restaurants, ingrained food choices like dairy and commerce and entertainment online, beef—whose production contributes neighbourhood community centres to global warming—some people may could become crucial social connectors, switch to cultured meat and artificial also functioning as primary schools and milk. As a concession to cut vehicular health clinics? Moreover, in a world pollution, some will ride electric self- digitally connected, physical travel to driving cars; but the current system distant places could be avoided, and of highways will remain intact, even entire lives constructed within the grow. Air travel will continue, but will ambit of a shortened radius. be supplemented by hyperloops and Doubtless, there is a tendency to maglev trains. Technological advances Is this an end to project a utopian idealism when there are merely used to offer more choices in bloated houses, big is a dramatic shift of direction; but conventional living and retain, as the expensive cars, familiar it goes without saying that societies Americans say, ‘our way of life’. fast foods, obesity and all everywhere will be profoundly shaped But things have suddenly changed. by the pandemic. Those that have the With the novel coronavirus spreading the excesses of travel? capacity to radically alter their future everywhere, the wide boundless arc of thinking will gain immensely from the the good life is now compressed into changed circumstances. India, sadly, a more focused domesticity. People are huddled at home, has been a timid follower of world trends and has rarely working from there, entertaining set a path of its own. The failed approaches of the most each other. The fear of contaminating and being advanced of countries, which still remain mired to the contaminated keeps public life in check. What impact belief of preserving ‘our way of life’, demands that we create will this have in the long term? models of our own. At a time Is this an end to bloated houses, big expensive cars, when extraordinary shifts in physical space, city life familiar fast foods, obesity and all the excesses of travel? and living patterns are being revealed to us, it seems the How then do we imagine life in the city? Our current state right time to forge an independent direction. Shorn of of closeted well-being will need a future outlet as places overconsumption, it will dictate the difference between forge an altogether new urban life—a life that adapts the surviving alone or living well together. A new urban future, gains of the lockdown into measurable routines. It falls on however uncertain, is always preferable to one that returns architects and planners to create a blueprint for the physical to revive a dead cow. ■ structure of the city and, if need be, define extreme and radical solutions. Invention comes at times of crises, and the Gautam Bhatia is a Delhi-based architect

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AMRITAPURI I BENGALURU I CHENNAI I COIMBATORE I AMARAVATI* ANI

MEAT/ FISH/ POULTRY

sector employs about 60 million. The All India Poultry Breeders As- CRISIS CUTS sociation (AIPBA) has estimated that the sector incurred Rs 22,500 crore in losses from February to mid-April. TO THE BONE Sanjeev Gupta, vice-president of the Poultry Federation of India, claims that By Shubham Shankdhar farmers are left with just 15 per cent of their original livestock, having been forced to cull the rest with demand tif Parvez, 28, a poultry cording to the Department of Animal dropping to almost nothing. The only farmer in Uttar Pradesh’s Husbandry, and broadly divided into businesses that will survive, he says, will Saharanpur district, is a two areas—the organised commer- be the larger ones in the organised sec- A worried man. Prices of cial sector, with about 80 per cent of tor. Aside from the curtailed business broiler chicken have nearly halved in the market, and the unorganised or as a result of the lockdown, rumours on the state, from Rs 90-110 a kg in De- ‘backyard poultry’ sector. According to social media that drew a link between cember to Rs 50 in early April, first on the Livestock Census 2019, India had a the coronavirus and chicken meat and rumours that chicken meat and eggs poultry population of 851.8 million, of eggs have also hit this sector badly. In caused COVID-19 and later from the which 534.7 million were commercial an attempt to rein in such misleading lockdown. His costs are around Rs 65 poultry and 317.1 million, the backyard information, the Ministry of Fisheries, a chicken, including chicken feed and variety. Some of the largest poultry-pro- Animal Husbandry & Dairying and staff wages. “If costs can’t be recovered, ducing states are: Tamil Nadu (120.8 the FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards what’s the point of running a busi- million), Andhra Pradesh (107.9 mil- Authority of India) issued separate ness?” he asks. lion) and Telangana (80 million). There statements to clarify the matter. The India’s poultry sector is valued at are around 30 million farmers engaged Maharashtra government also report- about Rs 80,000 crore (2015-16), ac- in backyard poultry and, overall, the edly announced that FIRs would be

10 INDIA TODAY APRIL 27, 2020 UPFRONT

SUBIR HALDER including a restructuring of loans for says. “Neither are fish being caught nor poultry farmers, compensation based is business being done.” India’s fisheries on the size of the affected farms, and sector, employing 14 million, produced subsidised poultry feed. Gupta says 12.6 million tonnes of fish in 2017-18, that the government must also issue says the National Fisheries Develop- clear guidelines to local authorities for ment Board. Over 50 different types poultry shops to be opened. If problems of fish and shellfish are exported to 75 continue and farmers stay away from countries around the world. But today, raising chicks, prices will shoot up when countries in West Asia and Europe have INTERRUPTED (Facing page) A poultry the market returns to normal. completely stopped imports. Moham- farm in Morigaon, Assam; Dumdum On a related note, prices of mutton mad Afzal, 40, promoter of export firm fish market in Kolkata on April 14 at are already soaring. Rezaur Rahman, Al Tayyaba Dry Fish in Mumbai, points the end of the 21-day lockdown a farmer from Chandanbara in East out that there can be no business when Champaran, Bihar, says the price of even fish farming is in limbo. “Only mutton rises every year around Holi, but those with leftover stock might be sell- BREAKING IT DOWN drops soon after. This time, prices have ing,” he says. The ban on catching fish remained high, at Rs 550 per kg. Rates during the lockdown impacted not only ` in Delhi have risen to Rs 700 per kg, fishermen and fish farmers, but also 22,500 crore with supply faltering in some areas. the hundreds of thousands employed in Estimated losses of the poultry As per reports, India’s exports of sorting and drying of stock. sector from February 1 to April 14 buffalo meat, the coun- Kerala, the second try’s second largest farm THE POULTRY largest seafood-export- export, have fallen 50 per FEDERATION ing state by value in India ` 1,500 crore cent, to 50,000 tonnes, in OF INDIA SAYS after Andhra Pradesh, the first week of March. SOME FARMERS exported about Rs 5,919 Estimated losses for meat The industry had lost Rs HAVE BEEN crore worth of marine exporters till early March 1,500 crore by then, as ex- products in 2017-18. This ports to Vietnam—which FORCED TO year, since January 15, no caters to the Chinese mar- CULL 85 % OF consignment has shipped 50 per cent ket—were stalled. Fauzan THEIR FLOCK out of Kochi port. And Alavi, vice president, All all export units in the Fall in chicken meat prices India Meat and Livestock state have remained in UP from Dec 2019 to Apr 2020 Exporters Association, said export closed since March 23, when Kerala units are facing a shortage of shipping imposed its lockdown (a day prior to the containers, but with the Chinese market Centre’s announcement). “Normally, we 60 million improving, enquiries have begun. India get a lot of orders in January. After the exported 1.2 million tonnes of buffalo virus outbreak, we lost all orders from Jobs in India’s poultry sector meat, worth Rs 25,168 crore, in 2018-19. China,” says Vishakan V., 57, who owns “The situation will not change much a seafood processing unit in Alappuzha (after the new guidelines) because there district. Europe and the US also started 14 million is lack of coordination between states,” cancelling orders from February. He says Jobs in India’s ﬁsheries sector says Payal Kaur, international sales head the situation may normalise in another of Al Hasan Group in Delhi, a top ex- three months, but by then, the ban on porter of meat to Hong Kong, Iraq and trawling will be in force. “We have lost African countries. The firm says it faces a year due to the pandemic.” Although filed against rumour-mongers. restrictions at the local level, leading to a restrictions have now been eased, with- On April 15, the Centre allowed the 50 per cent drop in business. out export orders and blocked payments, resumption of all fishing-related opera- The lockdown has badly hit the marine processing units can’t operate, tions, including harvesting, process- fish industry as well. Babu Raja Bhai, he adds. Local fishermen are not going ing, cold chain, transport, sales and a fisherman from Gujarat’s Amreli to sea as auction centres remain closed. marketing. Shops are allowed to sell district, says that apart from his own Each additional day of the lockdown poultry, meat and fish, as long as they catch, he used to buy 300-400 pendis brings more pain to sectors like these. ensure strict social distancing. But the (3,000-4,000 kg) of fish daily from And with no end in sight, millions of pain remains. The AIPBA has report- other small fishermen to supply to the livelihoods are in peril. ■ edly sought urgent help from the Centre, market. “Everything has halted,” he —with Jeemon Jacob

APRIL 27, 2020 INDIA TODAY 11 UPFRONT

BOOKS HOW TO RUN A COUNTRY By Ashok V. Desai

rvind Panagariya is a pro- First, with its shrinking population, lific writer. He has written 20 China’s labour force will also decline, and books, 170 academic papers wages will rise. Second, the trade war A and twice as many press ar- with the US will make it less competi- ticles in a career of 47 years and lists be- tive. And India can expand manufacturing the prime minister’s Sherpa in three ing without giving up its specialisation G20 meetings among his exceptional in services; there is no conflict. But the honours. Economists learn policy-mak- Bharatiya Janata Party government has ing as a part of their curriculum. Few powerful supporters in industry; under find any use for it—except to comment their influence, it has been raising import on policies—but many harbour the am- duties on goods they produce, making the bition to apply it. Panagariya is keen on Indian industry even less competitive. making policy. He spent a couple of years Panagariya writes that he would presum- as the first vice-chairman of NITI Aayog ably favour unilateral free trade (UFT), immediately after it replaced Planning but sees no chance of the government Commission. He said he left because he listening. So he recommends a uniform INDIA UNLIMITED prized his Columbia professorship; but 10 per cent import tariff on everything. Reclaiming the Lost Glory the hard work he put into making NITI by Arvind Panagariya Why not devalue by 10 per cent and have Aayog a useful intermediary between HARPERCOLLINS UFT? In the early 1990s, when I was the Centre and the states and between `302 (Kindle); 423 pages briefly in government, we reduced tariffs economic policy and opportunism went and simultaneously devalued. It is best for to waste. But he is not one to give up. the government to ignore industry’s pres- He has a vaulting ambition for India, sure for protection; but if it is too weak or irrespective of whether he participates A shopping bag of partisan to do so, it should use exchange in achieving it. He published India: the reforms—Arvind manipulation rather than tariffs or im- Emerging Giant in 2008, and India’s Panagariya’s book port restrictions. Panagariya makes con- Tryst with Destiny in 2013; now he has essentially outlines structive suggestions in many other policy written India Unlimited. While the what he would do areas, including labour laws, land market first book was more or less an economic if he were India’s laws, affordable housing and dormitories history of independent India, the second prime minister for migrant workers, and slums. made a case for growth. His latest is a Finance has been one of the economy’s shopping bag of reforms—it outlines most closely-regulated sectors; regulators what Panagariya would do if he were have made a perfect mess of it—especially India’s prime minister. of the banking sector. Panagariya outlines He would give the poor a cash subsidy that would permit beautifully how they did it—except that he has nothing to say all the controls that afflict agriculture to be abolished. about the equity market, which SEBI destroyed so perfectly Rationing, or the public distribution system, can go and with that nothing further could go wrong with it. He lists govern- it procurement at minimum support prices. Competition ment research institutions, but forgets to mention that their would come to agricultural markets; agriculture can then research is practically useless, and omits private corporate specialise in crops in which it is competitive and start export- research which, though tiny, is more likely to be used. ing. Panagariya wants states to make leasing of agricultural At the end, Panagariya has a chapter on governance, land easy so that the large number of villagers who own tiny which reads more like a lecture to the prime minister on how plots can lease them and go and work in cities, instead of dig- to run the economy. This is perhaps the most relevant, though ging pits and filling them up under MNREGA. That would unlikely to find a listener. But there is no harm in being an remove a major obstacle to a rise in productivity. optimist, especially if one has a pensionable job in the US. ■ In the past three decades, China has become highly competitive in manufacturing and dominated world trade; India Ashok V. Desai was Chief Consultant to the lost out. Arvind believes this can be reversed for two reasons. finance minister during the reforms of the 1990s

12 INDIA TODAY APRIL 27, 2020 SIDDHANT JUMDE

Illustration by Illustration

GLASSHOUSE LEVEL PLAYING FIELD Congress president Sonia Gandhi recently suggested a two- year ban on all government advertising to media in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis—an idea roundly criticised by the media. Partymen instantly began speculating about its source. Could it be Jairam Ramesh? But turns out, it was the brainchild of the Nehru-Gandhi siblings—Rahul and Priyanka. The duo believes the media favours the Narendra Modi government only because they are dependent on government revenue. If the funds stop ﬂowing, they feel the Congress could level the playing ﬁeld a little. Wishful thinking?

NO FREE Dream in PASSES Quarantine aharashtra he district administration Mprincipal Tin Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, secretary (home) recently took over the Mohammad Amitabh Gupta Ali Jauhar University to convert it landed himself in trouble recently into a quarantine centre for COVID- for issuing a curfew pass permitting 19 patients. The Samajwadi Party, businessman Kapil Wadhawan and however, smells vendetta. The 23 of his family members to travel 100-bed medical university was Azam from Mumbai to Mahabaleshwar established in 2006 by Khan, their party leader from during the lockdown. It didn’t help Rampur. It was his dream project, that Wadhawan is under the CBI they insist. But Khan has bigger things lens in the YES Bank fraud case. to worry about: he’s currently serving Gupta was sent on compulsory leave time in Sitapur jail, with his wife and by the state government pending an son, for their role in a forgery case. inquiry. But who let the cat out of the bag? It’s being speculated that MANEESH AGNIHOTRI one of Gupta’s colleagues tipped off a senior government official in Delhi about the free pass.

—Sandeep Unnithan with Kaushik Deka, Ashish Mishra and Kiran D. Tare Jeevan ka

(N6,,3'R)D\HGH 6DYLQJEKL6XUDNVKDEKL Anmol safar Part - 3 BOLD MOVE Prime Minister Modi announces the extension of the lockdown till May 3

16 INDIA TODAY APRIL 27, 2020 COVER STORY

LEAD ESSAY

HOW TO MAKE THE EXIT STRATEGY WORK The key is to strengthen India’s health capacities to battle a possible second wave of infection, apart from providing substantial relief to the needy and a stimulus package to revive the ﬂailing Indian economy

By RAJ CHENGAPPA

APRIL 27, 2020 INDIA TODAY 17 COVER STORY

LEAD ESSAY

LEADING BY EXAMPLE The prime minister takes stock of the COVID- 19 situation via a video W conference with state CMs

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi with burgeoning unemployment numbers and THE EXTENDED began his televised address to the nation at the humongous loss to the economy (expected LOCKDOWN 10 am on April 14, he made two gestures that to be 3-4 per cent of GDP), there were worries summed up the dilemma that India faced. He that, as an expert put it, “the crisis of corona WILL GIVE THE started by greeting the nation with a lengyan may be replaced by the crisis of hunger”. CENTRE AND THE wrapped around his nose and mouth. And STATES TIME then lowered it soon after to deliver his speech, BENEFITS OF THE LOCKDOWN the substance of which was that the national When the prime minister announced the lock- TO RAMP UP lockdown would continue for another 19 days. down on March 24, the previous week had seen INDIA’S HEALTH This was to ensure that the curve on the graph a steady rise in cases, but it was still low at 516 showing the number of people infected by the cases and nine deaths. On April 14, when the CAPABILITIES COVID-19 virus in the country flattens and prime minister announced the extension of the TO COMBAT A levels out. However, as an incentive, he added lockdown, the number of cases had grown to FURTHER SPREAD that if, within one week, there were clear signs 11,487 and the deaths to 393. The Union min- that the containment strategy was working, istry for health and family welfare (MoHFW) there would be a gradual reopening of the econ- believes the lockdown helped to considerably omy. It was in keeping with what he told state slow down the spread of the disease. India took chief ministers in a video conference three days six days to move from 6,000 cases to 12,000 earlier—“Jaan bhi, jahaan bhi (Life as well as as compared to the two days it took the US, livelihood)”. This phrase signalled a departure Italy three days and Spain four. Lav Agarwal, from the one he used when he first announced joint secretary in the MoHFW, said in a press the 21-day lockdown on March 24—“Jaan hai briefing that studies by the ministry indicated to jahaan hai (Health is wealth)”. that without a lockdown and other contain- So, what prompted the prime minister’s ment measures, there would have been a 41 decision to extend the lockdown and opt for a per cent cumulative rise in cases. As against phased opening up of economic activity? And 12,000 cases, the number would have shot up what does the country need to do to make the to 820,000 by April 15, he suggested. exit strategy he outlined work to save lives and The other key benefit of the lockdown was livelihoods? These are valid questions because that the Centre and the states used the 21-day

18 INDIA TODAY APRIL 27, 2020 GLIMMER OF HOPE? The lockdown has helped slow down the COVID-19 spread, but it’s still a long haul

40%

LOCKDOWN PERIOD 30%

20%

10% COVID-19 growth rate (%) 0% 51015 20 25 5 10 15 March April Growth rate = (Cases today/ cases previous day) - 1 Source: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare As on April 15, 2020, 5 pm

ANI

reprieve to bolster the country’s health capabilities to spreading the virus and, two, the country’s policymakers meet the enormous challenges of COVID-19. The real did not have a correct estimate of how widespread the worry for Team Modi was that should there be an expo- threat really was for them to lift the lockdown. nential growth in cases, afflicting some 100,000 people To rapidly overcome these and other impediments, in a populous city like Mumbai (as has happened in New the prime minister, on March 29, ﬁve days after the lock- York), it would immediately need 20,000 hospital beds down, set up 11 empowered groups comprising senior to isolate these patients and treat them. Of these, some bureaucrats and top experts (see graphic, The COVID-19 3,000 would require some sort of ICU care, including Response Team). Of these, three were dedicated to up- ventilator support. When the lockdown was imposed, grading the health system. These groups were entrusted Mumbai had about 2,600 isolation beds and about 300 by the Prime Minister’s Office to cut red tape and get ICU beds—far, far short of the requirement to meet a the job done, including importing equipment, if needed. potential crisis. Worse, across the country, there was a Modi’s instruction to them was simple: “Don’t tell me huge shortage of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), what you are doing—tell me what you have delivered. I particularly for medical personnel who were risking their want outcomes, not inputs.” own lives in trying to save the lives of COVID-19 patients. The other pressing need was to ramp up testing to GETTING BATTLE-READY assess the spread of the virus. One of the major cri ticisms The Centre then sanctioned Rs 15,000 crore to meet levelled at the Modi government—by Rahul Gandhi, emergency health needs. By the second week, the groups among others—was that our rate of testing was dan- had begun to show visible results. When it came to PPE gerously low. Initially, the government had followed requirements, the concerned group adopted a twin strat- the advice of the Indian Council of Medical Research egy. India had 300,000 pieces of PPE as against the (ICMR) to test only symptomatic high-risk patients, estimated need of 20 million. Import orders, therefore, partly because of the limited availability of testing kits were immediately placed with foreign companies— and laboratory facilities in the country. That saw India mainly in China and South Korea—for 17.5 million kits. conducting an average of 5,000 tests a day as compared Meanwhile, some 30 Indian companies, both in the pub- to South Korea, which with one-twentieth our popu- lic sector and in the private sector, were asked to start lation, was doing 20,000 tests daily. That limitation manufacturing these indigenously after the government impacted the country in two ways: one, the low testing gave them the speciﬁcations and ensured that they could numbers meant that asymptomatic carriers could be meet the requisite quality standards.

APRIL 27, 2020 INDIA TODAY 19 THE COVID-19 The 11 empowered committees, set up on March 29, are at the forefront of the Union RESPONSE TEAM government’s response to the pandemic

1. Medical emergency 4. Augmenting 6. Coordination with management plan human resources & private sector, NGOs, international organisations Dr V.K. Paul capacity-building Member, NITI Aayog Arun Panda, Secy, MSMEs Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog Dr Renu Swarup R.S. Shukla, Secy, Parl. Affairs Prof. K. VijayRaghavan Secy, Dept of Biotechnology Rajesh Kotecha, Secy, AYUSH Principal Scientific Advisor Dr V. Thiruppugazh Arun Singhal, Spl Secy, Health Kamal Kishore, Member, NDMA Joint Secretary, NDMA Rakesh Kumar Vats, Secy, S.M. Bhatnagar, Member, CBIC Lav Agarwal National Medical Commission Anil Malik, Addl Secy, Home Jt Secy, Health Dr P. Ravindran, Dir., Emer- Tina Soni, Dy Secy, Cabinet Sect Dr Amandeep Garg gency Med. Relief, Health Min. Gopal Baglay, Jt Secy, PMO Jt Secy, Cabinet Secretariat Pankaj Agarwal, Jt Secy, Aishvarya Singh, Dy Secy, PMO Rajender Kumar Cabinet Secretariat Director, PMO V. Sheshadri, Jt Secy, PMO

2. Hospitals, isolation P.K. Mishra & quarantine facilities, Principal Secretary disease surveillance to the PM & testing C.K. Mishra Secy, Environment Ministry Vinod Yadav, Chairman, Railway Board Prof. Randeep Guleria Director, AIIMS Dr Raman R. Gangakhedkar Head-ECD, ICMR Jiwesh Nandan Addl Secy, Defence Rachna Shah Addl Secy, Cabinet Secretariat Rajiv Gauba Vikas Sheel, Jt Secy, Health Cabinet Secretary S. Pardeshi, Jt Secy, PMO Mayur Maheshwari, Dir., PMO

3. Availability of essential medical equipment P.D. Vaghela, Secy, Dept of Pharmaceuticals Prime Minister Guruprasad Mohapatra, Narendra Modi Secy, DPIIT, Commerce Min. Chairman, National Ravi Capoor, Secy, Textiles Disaster Management Dr G. Satheesh Reddy, Authority (NDMA) Secy, DRDO M. Ajit Kumar, Chairman, 5. Facilitating supply chain & Central Board of Indirect logistics management for essentials Taxes & Customs (CBIC) Parameswaran Iyer, Secy, Dept Naveen Srivastava of Drinking Water & Sanitation Jt Secy, External Affairs Rajendra Singh, Member, NDMA Anu Nagar, Jt Secy, Health Ravi Kant, Secy, Dept of Food & Public Distribution Mandeep Bhandari Pawan Kumar Agarwal, Secy, Consumer Affairs Jt Secy, Health N.N. Sinha, Secy, Dept. of Border Management Piyush Goel, Jt Secy, Home Ashok Kumar Pandey, Member, CBIC A. Giridhar, Addl Secy, N. Sivasailam, Spl Secy, Commerce Ministry Cabinet Secretariat AVM S.K. Jha, Jt Secy, Air, Defence Ministry A.K. Sharma Usha Padhee, Jt Secy, Civil Aviation Addl Secy, PMO Ashutosh Jindal, Jt Secy, Cabinet Secretariat 20 APRIL 27, 2020 Rohit INDIA Yadav TODAY, Jt Secy, PMO Tarun Bajaj, Addl. Secy, PMO Graphic by TANMOY CHAKRABORTY 20 INDIA TODAY APRIL 20, 2020 COVER 7. Economic & welfare measures STORY Atanu Chakraborty, Secy, Dept of Economic Affairs LEAD ESSAY T.V. Somanathan, Secy, Expenditure Heeralal Samariya, Secy, Labour Rajesh Bhushan, Secy, Rural Dev. Pankaj Jain, Addl Secy, The team faced a similar problem when it came to testing Dept of Financial Services kits. Two types of kits—the confirmatory test kit called RT-PCR Amrapali Kata, Dy Secy, Cabinet Sect (Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction) and the Arvind Shrivastava, Jt Secy, PMO rapid blood test kit—are being used. RT-PCR kits were already Kavitha Padmanabhan, Dy Secy, PMO being made in India, but not in sufficient quantities. The rapid 8. Information, test, which promised results within half an hour instead of communication and the days RT-PCR tests take, would only indicate whether the public awareness immune system had antibodies, signifying an infection; an Ravi Mittal, Secy, I&B RT-PCR test would be needed to confirm if it was COVID-19. Sunil Kumar, Secy, The government is beefing up the availability of both kits, plac- Panchayati Raj ing orders for 4.5 million rapid kits and 2.5 million PCR kits, Lt Gen. Syed Ata Hasnain mainly with Chinese companies. Member, NDMA Punya Salila Srivastava part from the kits, there was also a need for Jt Secy, Home labs across the country to analyse the samples. The Padmaja Singh Jt Secy, Health group identified laboratories across the country, in- Sandeep Sarkar A cluding in medical colleges and, with online training, Jt Secy, Cabinet Sect approved close to 219 as on April 13, even as more are being Gopal Baglay, Jt Secy, PMO added. When the group took over, 5,500 tests were being done Hiren Joshi, OSD, PMO daily; within a fortnight, they had been scaled up to 24,000 Pratik Mathur tests a day, or by almost five times. By the end of April, the Dy Secy, PMO target is expected to hit 40,000 tests. Yet, crucial gaps remain, 9. Technology & data whether in the testing itself, or in the availability of kits and labs management (see accompanying story, Detection Gaps). The groups tackled the problem of hospital quarantine Ajay Sawhney, Secy, Electronics & IT Min. facilities, including ICU beds and ventilators, with the same vigour. To make best use of the already available facilities, the Anshu Prakash, Secy, Dept of Telecom groups worked on a graded system of healthcare: one for cases with mild symptoms and the other for those exhibiting serious G.S. Toteja, ADG, ICMR respiratory issues. They followed the thumb rule that 20 per Dr N. Yuvraj, Dy Secy, Ayushman Bharat cent of those infected will need some sort of hospitalisation, Bharat H. Khera, Jt Secy, and 3-5 per cent will require ICUs with ventilators. For the Cabinet Secretariat former, the members of the group told the district collectors Pratik Doshi, OSD, PMO to identify beds across private and public hospitals, apart Manharsinh Yadav from medical colleges, and requisition them to create isola- Dy Secy, PMO tion wards with beds. Over 138,000 such isolation beds have Hardik Shah been set up across the country, including those provided by Dy Secy, PMO the railways, defence and public sector units. 10. Public grievances India also had just 32,000 ventilators, when it needed & suggestions around 80,000. Here again, the policy of asking Indian com- Amit Khare, Secy, HRD panies to chip in and placing orders with foreign firms was cleared rapidly to acquire 40,000 additional ventilators. K. Shivaji, Secy, Min. of Group leader C.K. Mishra, secretary in the Union environ- Personnel Ashutosh Agnihotri ment and forests ministry, had instructed his team thus: “We Jt Secy, Home Min. should be prepared for the worst-case scenarios because it will Meera Mohanty be a huge tragedy if we don’t—every life is precious.” Dir., Cabinet Sect Saurabh Shukla, Dir., PMO POST-LOCKDOWN IMPERATIVE Abhishek Shukla Even as most groups were working on fortifying the health Dy Secy, PMO services to meet any exponential growth in cases, one of them 11. Strategic issues linked to lockdown was concentrating on planning an exit strategy to contain the virus and restart economic activity. Based on the spread Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Secretary, Home and concentration of the positive cases, the team worked out Dr V.K. Paul, Member, NITI Aayog a strategy whereby it split areas into hotspots with large out- V.P. Joy, Secretary (Coordination), Cabinet Sect A.K. Sharma, Addl Secy, PMO Arvind Shrivastava, Jt Secy, PMO APRIL 27, 2020 INDIA TODAY 21 Abhishek Shukla, Dy Secy, PMO COVER STORY

LEAD ESSAY

breaks, those with clusters of infection in them and potential hotspots. This was done in consul- tation with states and plotted on the Indian map (see accompanying story, The Line of Corona Control). The ﬁgures, as on April 16, were 123 ALL HANDS ON hotspots with large outbreaks, 47 with clusters DECK Finance and 207 potential hotspots—in all 377 affected minister Nirmala districts, a little more than half of India’s total Sitharaman 720 districts. In the next two weeks, there will undergoes a thermal scan at be a concentrated focus on these hotspots, where North Block; far there will be a total lockdown in containment right, defence zones, which number 1,500 so far. This will be minister Rajnath followed by intensive testing, along with the iso- Singh chairs lation and treatment of those who test positive. GoM meeting on COVID-19

his is one of the major reasons why Modi extended the lockdown for another 19 days to give the government it could not be what he termed a digital stop- TEAM MODI T greater conﬁdence to lift it after May start, “you cannot go from 0 to 1—even if you 3. Yet, the threat will remain even after the open up all industry, it cannot go to 100 per cent IS WORKING lockdown is lifted. Dr Vinod K. Paul, member, in a week. It will have to be gradual, possibly ON A RADICAL NITI Aayog, points to three challenges ahead. one step at a time, for it to ramp up production.” REBOOT OF THE Firstly, he advocates that individuals, families Officials confess that they have not dealt with an and members of society observe a new normal to economic crisis of this magnitude in the past— ECONOMY, MADE maintain social distancing in their interactions neither in 2008 nor in 1991—when both supply POSSIBLE—EVEN and ensure the continued use of masks, hand- and demand have been totally depressed and NECESSARY—BY washing and restrictions on congregations. He almost all economic activity, barring in essential terms these ‘30 per cent of lockdown behaviour’ sectors, has ceased, a phenomenon most econo- THE WORLDWIDE and warns, “We cannot go back to our old ways mies in the world are grappling with. DISRUPTIONS as this would be a recipe for disaster.” The second OF THE GREAT point he makes is that the lockdown will not kill THE LONG ROAD TO RECOVERY the virus, only contain it. It is bound to prolifer- One of the empowered groups, headed by Union LOCKDOWN ate again and the preparatory effort the country secretary Atanu Chakraborty, who also heads has put in during the lockdown for surveillance, the department of economic affairs, has been health delivery and containment systems should tasked with working out appropriate economic help keep it in check. Thirdly, he says the lock- and welfare measures. Based on their inputs down has to be eased out in a manner that, in and those from other departments, including his words, can help “get maximum economic the department of promotion for industry and gain with minimum loss of lives through the internal trade, the government is approaching pandemic—that is the balance we have worked economic rehabilitation and revival through out through the lockdown”. three broad strategies. Its top priority is to en- This was what Modi did too, by announc- sure that the poor, migrant labour and farmers ing that the government would, from April 20 who have been hit hard by the lockdown are onward, start the process of restoring livelihoods provided adequate relief both in terms of food by permitting economic activity in key sectors, and cash. On March 25, a day after the lock- such as agriculture, pharmaceuticals, packag- down, ﬁnance minister Nirmala Sitharaman ing, exports, e-commerce, construction and announced a raft of measures totalling Rs 1.7 self-contained industrial clusters. The prime lakh crore for these groups, including increas- minister is deeply concerned about the looming ing grains and pulses entitlements under the economic crisis not just in India but the entire public distribution system and cash transfers world. A top official involved in the decision- to farmers, women and senior citizens in addi- making process reveals that while planning for tion to free cylinders to BPL families. Already, restarting economic activity, it was evident that Rs 32,000 crore has been disbursed in the past

22 INDIA TODAY APRIL 27, 2020 week, and a second round is expected next month. Business). If the process of harvesting goes smoothly, and Despite suggestions from experts, including Nobel much of the labour finds adequate work in this sector, the laureates Amartya Sen and Abhijit Banerjee, to give direct government is confident it will stem the growing unrest cash benefits to people rather than route assistance through and despair resulting from the lockdown and also infuse various relief schemes, the Modi government so far has liquidity and demand back into the economy. been averse to what it sees as disbursing doles without ac- countability. As a senior official put it, “The prime minister owever, a State Bank of India report, is against such loose doles and is judicious, even stingy, after the extension of the lockdown, bears grim about spending money—he will do so only when he is con- tidings, including GDP growth dropping to 1 per vinced it would go to the right people.” He also points out Hcent in FY21. It estimates that the total loss in in- how the government has given states Rs 11,000 crore for the come to the 373 million workers—whether self-employed 700,000 migrant labour in cities, including construction (52 per cent of the total), casual workers (25 per cent) or workers, to ensure their basic needs are met. the remaining regular workers—works out to around Rs Even for the first stage of reviving the economy, Modi 4 lakh crore (or 2 per cent of GDP) and that any fiscal insisted on focusing on agriculture and ensuring that the package should strive to make up the loss. In addition, rabi harvest was a success. The measures included freeing merchandise exports are expected to decline by 16 per cent all truck movement and pushing through radical reforms while the output loss is expected to be $50 billion (Rs 1.86 such as bypassing the Agricultural Produce Marketing lakh crore). Some of this can be compensated by exports Committees (APMCs) to purchase grain directly from of services, particularly in the field of information and the farmers. Great attention was paid to detail, includ- communications technology, as the pandemic is certain to ing allowing dhabas to remain open on the highways so give a push to digitisation and enhanced use of software to that truck drivers transporting supplies could have food maintain social distancing norms for a while. But key sec- en route. The government also stopped discriminating tors such as automotives, textiles, construction, aviation between essential and non-essential goods for transport, and tourism saw an average 50 per cent drop in output. in an order dated April 12, as it was causing enormous Top economic experts talk of the need for an additional blockages at check-posts. As an officer put it, “The speedy stimulus of at least 5 per cent of GDP, or about Rs 10 lakh movement of the entire supply system was dependent on crore. As part of the second leg of its strategic recovery, the whims and moods of the constable manning the post.” the government is working on a stimulus for sectors that The government also lifted all restrictions on the poul- urgently require it. However, as a senior official put it, try, fisheries and meat industry as well as milk distribution, “Don’t expect us to spend like mad or throw away money— which should see close to 30 million people return to work. the bucks will go wherever we get the most bang out of For medium, small and micro enterprises (MSMEs), a sec- it.” The government is likely to step up its plans to spend tor that employs 120 million, the Reserve Bank of India has the Rs 20 lakh crore it had earlier set aside for infrastruc- announced an indirect relief package totalling Rs 50,000 ture, whether roads, rail or ports, to boost employment. crore. But getting the MSME sector back on its feet will be The third prong of the strategy Team Modi is work- an uphill task (see accompanying story Getting Down to ing on is a radical reboot of the economy which the Great

APRIL 27, 2020 INDIA TODAY 23 COVER STORY

LEAD ESSAY

Lockdown (a term coined by IMF’s chief economist Gita real estate consultant Anarock. Gopinath) offers an opportunity for. The argument put The key remains in clearing the hotspots, particularly forward by many senior officials is that the pandemic will in metros such as Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and parts forever change the way we do business and could see a ma- of Delhi, which have the highest demand for consumer jor churning in the global trade and financial architecture. goods and durables, automobiles and garments. The “It gives the Modi government an opportunity to aspire for Rs 7.6 lakh crore automotive sector, for instance, will big-ticket reforms,” says an official. BJP ideologue Ram find it pointless to start production if the dealerships Madhav even talked in terms of the prime minister laying in cities and towns remain closed. “In fact, the starting a New Deal for India as Franklin D. Roosevelt had done point of the automotive business is the dealerships. For for the US after the Great Depression in the 1930s. Cur- us, it makes sense to start only when the inventory gets rently, the thinking is not to dilute the process by trying moving,” says Vikram Kirloskar, president of the Confed- to focus on widespread reforms but to concentrate on a eration of Indian Industry (CII). Only a free movement of handful of sectors such as power, agriculture, petroleum, goods into and out of factories can make it sustainable for mining and labour and ensure that these are achievable. businesses to operate. R.C. Bhargava, chairman of Maruti Suzuki, says that his company cannot start operations NO EASY EXIT immediately since the automotive Yet, industry has serious concerns about the industry is a highly supply chain- government’s moves to restore economic ac- APART FROM driven one. Between 70 and 80 per tivity even after May 3. The key would be to A STIMULUS cent of the parts that go into making reduce the designated hotspots to a mini- a Maruti Suzuki vehicle are sourced mum, otherwise manufacturing activity will PACKAGE, INDIA from different suppliers, mostly In- continue to be stymied. A study by the HDFC MUST CONTAIN dian. “If my company has, say, 350 Bank research team shows that areas with THE NUMBER OF suppliers, and even if five of them high incidence of COVID-19 and falling in are in the ‘red’ zone, I won’t be able the hotspot zones are the biggest contributors VIRUS HOTSPOTS to manufacture,” he says. The com- to the Indian economy. The group that has TO PUT pany doesn’t have a problem opening the highest number of cases, including Maha- INDUSTRY BACK its dealerships, as some 60 per cent rashtra, Tamil Nadu and Delhi, cumulatively of them are outside the so-called accounts for 30 per cent of India’s GDP. Ma- ON ITS FEET hotspots. But the disruption in the harashtra and Tamil Nadu alone account for supply chain will make production 27.6 per cent of India’s manufacturing output of cars impossible. and 23.5 per cent of services output. These three states also It is not easy, therefore, to muster optimism unless account for as much as 22 per cent of all-India construction industry is confident that it can resume business without output. Another cluster of states—UP, Rajasthan, Andhra, major disruption. Yet, with the virus lurking around, the Telangana and MP—which accounts for 34 per cent of all- uncertainty will persist. In India, the virus may be con- India manufacturing activity, has fewer number of cases, tained in the coming months by what an official called but remains vulnerable. “General Summer’s help”, referring to the approaching season. But experts expect a second wave in September- ven the restricted number of industries November—the prime season for flu flare-ups. Of course, outside the COVID-19 ‘hotspots’ that have been as South Korea has shown, strong intervention can keep the allowed to resume activity will take a couple of virus in check and help resumption of economic activity. Emonths to actually come on stream. The gov- The one ray of hope is that with several groups across ernment has permitted construction activity, provided the world and in India working on a vaccine, we could well strict social distancing guidelines are adhered to. But the have one by the end of the year. India is well positioned hotspots are the areas where normally most construction to not only mount such an R&D initiative, but also has activity takes place. For instance, Mumbai, a hotspot, the manufacturing capacity to become one of the world’s currently has the highest under-construction residential largest producers of such a vaccine. Characterising it as a stock of nearly 465,000 units. This accounts for 30 per great opportunity, Dr V.K. Paul says, “We should chase the cent of the 1.56 million under-construction stock across R&D solution crazily and relentlessly not just in India but the top seven cities. Moreover, most of the migrant labour- across the world. Because if we succeed, we will remove all ers have already left for their home states, so getting them commas against the virus and put a full stop to it.” That back to the construction sites will not be easy. Migrant is a venture India and the rest of the world should invest workers comprise at least 80 per cent of the total 44 mil- heavily in. lion workforce in the construction sector at present, says —with M.G. Arun

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COVID TESTING DETECTION GAPS

India’s testing strategy leaves much to be desired, even as it struggles to procure test kits and assess the progress of the disease to formulate an appropriate response By Sonali Acharjee

aving reconciled to a Testing in India three-week India has a long way to go before it can come lockdown, most even close to the 10,550 tests per million Indians waited that South Korea has conducted—without anxiously on the resorting to a lockdown—to restrict its total morning of April 14 number of COVID-related deaths to 229. to hear how the As on April 16, India had tested 258,730 prime minister individuals or 196 tests per million. But with H would lift it—fully the death rate now doubling every four days, or incrementally—only to find that the the country has no option but to drastically shutdown had been extended by another 19 revise its strategy if it has to limit minimise days. No one disputes the necessity of a the number of coronavirus deaths. Extend- lockdown—according to a study by the ing the lockdown has been one measure; the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), other will be to ramp up testing. one person can infect 406 people in 30 days Towards that end, the government issued if he or she doesn’t isolate—but at the end of new guidelines for testing on April 13. India three weeks, everyone is asking if the move will now test symptomatic cases not just in did achieve what it had set out to do when it areas with high rate of infections, or what are was imposed on March 24. The jury is still called hotspots, but also in areas with low out. As India reported 12,338 cases and 420 or no infections, or cold spots, using rapid deaths on April 16, it wasn’t clear if the antibody tests that can alert one to an infec- country had managed to flatten the curve. tion before it can be confirmed with a reverse “We still have to wait 7-10 more days to know transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT- if we have flattened the curve,” says K. PCR) test. Asymptomatic high-risk contacts Srinath Reddy, chairman of the Public and healthcare workers, on the other hand, Health Initiative of India (PHFI), a not-for- can directly go for the RT-PCR test. “There profit public-private initiative. “We can’t are significant changes to our testing strategy assess if the lockdown has been successful till now,” says Raman Gangakhedkar, chief more data is collected and analysed, scientist at ICMR. “We are doing all we can to especially age and state-specific data.” And increase our capacity to nearly 100,000 tests there is only one way to get that data— a day (from the 24,000 or so per day current- through intensive and widespread testing. ly).” Rapid tests for symptomatic cases had

VIKRAM SHARMA TESTING TIMES Dr Dangs Lab technicians rehearse drive-though testing at New Delhi’s Punjabi Bagh West India has two kinds of tests in its arsenal POSITIVELY to combat COVID-19: the conﬁrmatory RT-PCR test and the indicative rapid VICIOUS antibody test. Here is what both entail

The novel coronavirus is surrounded by 29 crown-like spike proteins that attach themselves to human cells and infect them. To detect its presence, the RNA in a sample has to be first converted into DNA, then amplified to help sequester the gene specific to COVID-19

1 Indian strategy Is it reliable? RT-PCR Reverse Transcription- Both symptomatic as well The test itself is considered Polymerase Chain as asymptomatic high- the gold standard for testing. risk cases can get these Reaction Test) However, for the test to be confirmatory tests completely foolproof, you need to ensure: How it works Sample or the chemicals used to convert RNA to DNA are not contaminated The primers and probes to target COVID-19 genes are designed accurately to match its genetic sequence 4. DNA is amplified in the 1. A swab is collected 7. Chemical The PCR machine is spun a PCR machine which is from a patient’s markers minimum number of times to spun around 40 times, throat and nostril. attached to the adequately amplify the DNA heating and cooling the The sample is kept DNA release sample and creating in a viral transport fluorescence thousands of copies of medium and taken to when the binding the DNA for the test to an ICMR-approved lab occurs Variations for testing measure Some states are considering pool testing, in which multiple samples are clubbed and a single test run on them If the result is 2. The RNA or 5. Primers, which are designed 8. The flashes of positive, each person Ribonucleic to match the genetic sequence fluorescence are has to be tested acid in the unique to the virus, ensure that measured by a individually coronavirus is the PCR machine amplifies only machine to determine

ﬁrst extracted that part of DNA which matches the presence of the Pooled tests require from the sample its genetic sequence virus in a sample zero false negatives ICMR has also approved the use of TrueNat, a machine used to detect drug- resistant tuberculosis, for COVID testing. It will be a screening 3. It is then 6. Probes that complement 9. If there is no test requiring a throat converted to DNA DNA fragments found in coronavirus in the or nasal sample. using reagent the virus are then used. If sample, the primers TrueNat tests cost chemicals any viral genetic material is will not amplify the Rs 1,000-1,500 and present, these fragments DNA and the probes produce results in bind to it will remain dark under an hour

28 INDIA TODAY APRIL 27, 2020 COVER STORY 2 COVID Rapid/ Antibody/ TESTING Serology Test

India’s strategy been greenlighted by the empow- ICMR. The 500,000 rapid kits or- ered committee set up on March dered earlier departed from China All symptomatic cases in hotspots will 29 under Dr V.K. Paul, member, only on April 16, almost a month have to take a rapid antibody test if they NITI Aayog. “Rapid tests will help late. “There is a global shortage in have been ill for more than a week to detect the presence of infection gauge the extent of the spread and rapid kits, as almost all countries make it quicker to isolate potential are looking to introduce it,” says If they test positive, they are sent for cases,” says Dr Paul. Malini Aisola, co-convenor of clinical assessment and treatment To prepare for the widespread advocacy group All India Drugs If the result is negative, then they are testing, ICMR has granted Action Network. “Till we have required to get a confirmatory RT-PCR test licences to 51 companies to sell enough quality equipment for rapid test kits and another 33 testing, you cannot ramp it up.” There is no strategy as of now to test asymptomatic cases who might not have firms to sell PCR test kits in Not just rapid kits, PCR kits come in contact with a positive case India. The body has also floated a too are in short supply. While tender to acquire 5.3 million kits rapid kit manufacturers are yet to for the transport of viral samples, be cleared in India, the empow- How it works 2.5 million PCR test kits and 4.5 ered committee is trying to give It involves a simple prick of the finger million rapid test kits. domestic manufacturing a push to get a blood sample for PCR kits. Three labs—NIV But Is It Enough? and the National AIDS Research The sample is then examined to see if it has any antibodies, which For sure, the country has come a Institute (NARI) in Pune, and develop in response to an infection long way since ‘patient zero’ tested the National Institute of Patholo- in the body. Immunoglobin M (IgM) positive in Kerala on January 30. gy in New Delhi—evaluated non- antibodies develop first, 5-8 days after Between then and March 27, only FDA or non-European CE-certi- an infection, followed by Immunoglobin 27,686 samples had been tested, fied commercial kits. On March G (IgG) antibodies of which 834 were positive. Ten 23, MyLabs in Pune became the days from then, the number of first to get ICMR approval to sell samples tested went up to 73,380, its COVID-19 kit. Though the and the number of cases rose to company, in existence since 2016, 3,955. As many as 11,432 samples claims to be ‘FDA approved’ on were tested on April 6 alone, of its website, its products do not which 311 were confirmed cases. have FDA approval. MyLabs CEO But testing still varies widely Hashmukh Rawal clarifies: “We between states. So, while West spent the last six years work- Is it reliable? Bengal with 99 million people ing to develop our ID NAT kit, has conducted only 38 tests per which detects HIV molecules in ICMR has clarified this is a screening million, Kerala, with 34 million and not a confirmatory test by itself blood samples. We have received people, tested 497, as on April 16. CDSCO (Central Drugs Standard IgM and IgG antibodies can develop A primary reason for slow Control Organisation) clear- against any infection. The presumption is testing in India is the unavailabil- ance for this, equivalent to an that COVID-19 being the most prevalent ity of test kits. In early February, FDA clearance in India.” The kit, infection in a hotspot, antibodies would the National Institute of Virology priced at Rs 800, was designed in have developed as a response to it in Pune had procured 1 million six weeks by Minal Bhosale, R&D These tests are useful to gauge if reagents (chemicals that convert head at MyLabs, who had earlier someone has been infected by COVID-19 RNA in the virus to DNA) and 1 worked with NIV Pune during and recovered on their own. They could million primers and probes (which the 2009 swine flu outbreak. also be an indicator of pre-existing amplify DNA and then detect On April 2, Bhopal-based immunity against the virus the genetic sequence specific to Kilpest India became the second It is also a quick and cheaper way to COVID-19) for PCR tests. Though Indian company to receive clear- judge if symptomatic cases need to go Gangakhedkar insists India has ance for its kit. The company had for further clinical assessment or an RT- enough test kits for the next six earlier been rejected after its kit’s PCR confirmatory test weeks, there is no available official true positive correlation scored 75 count on the current stock with per cent, even as the true negative

Graphics by TANMOY CHAKRABORTY AND RAJ VERMA

APRIL 27, 2020 INDIA TODAY 29 COVER STORY TEST CASE COVID TESTING The countries that got it right—and wrong correlation was 100 per cent. “After the first Best Practices attempt, we added one more targeted gene and played around with the internal chem- istry a bit,” says Dhirendra Kuber Dubey, director of the company. Together, the two companies claim they can manufacture 8.3 million kits per month. Adar Poonawalla, whose Serum Institute has partnered with MyLabs, says, “Our production capacity is 1.5 lakh units a week, we will Test, track, At ease Privacy soon scale it up to 20 lakh a week.” Asked treat testing In Singapore and how many kits his company has delivered so Countries such Some countries have South Korea, a copy far to the government, Rawal vaguely offers: of your test is sent “We have delivered thousands across the cou- as Iceland, South pioneered creative Korea and Singapore ways to test, such to you via text and ntry to state departments and private labs.” ramped up testing as the drive-through e-mail and a hard and followed it test by South copy given. Private, hen, there is the question of the up with rigorous Korea, home and easily accessible validity and reliability of the tests contact tracing of phone-booth testing result drives more themselves. Of the 51 firms the positive cases elsewhere people to test T government has cleared for rapid kits, seven are Chinese. Of these, two—Wangfo and All Test—are the ones Awareness Home made from which the UK too has ordered about a Vietnam has only With global test kit million kits. On April 6, Professor John Bell, 267 infections, no shortage, S. Korea coordinator of coronavirus testing for deaths. A study by began home government agency Public Health England, data firm Premise production. One announced that the tests had “not performed shows 52% knew Korean firm, SD well” when being evaluated and that they had testing was available; Biosensor, alone a high number of false positives and nega- 87% of them knew makes 2.5 kits per tives. Spain, too, allegedly withdrew 58,000 where to go for it second kits made by Chinese firm Shenzen Bioeasy Biotechnology as they were not accurate, though India is not importing from them. The RT-PCR test itself is the gold sta- America Fails the Test ndard in testing, asserts biotechnologist and gene specialist Virander S. Chauhan. “Unless the samples or chemicals are contaminated,” The lost Faulty he says, “it gives an extremely accurate month primers picture of whether a sample has a virus or The US now has On March 4, not; it is, after all, hunting for a gene specific over 28,000 COVID the Centers for to COVID-19.” But a lot also depends on the deaths. Many Disease Control and design of the kit, the genes it targets and attribute this to Prevention sent test how samples are collected and tested. As per the fact that the kits using four sets of Price of ICMR’s own declaration, neither Kilpest nor country took a primers to state labs. MyLabs was tested as per its guidelines for relatively long time Three were designed treatment sensitivity or specificity as no false positive or to ramp up testing. to detect COVID-19, Studies show that false negative samples were taken. False nega- By March 16, it while the other was a many Americans tive and positive determinations for kits are a had done only 74 negative control. The are reluctant to be step requisite for both FDA and European CE tests per million labs reported getting tested fearing that approvals. “We are ensuring every test has a inhabitants, while false positive results they will have to bear 100 per cent true negative and a 100 per cent S. Korea had done in negative controls, significant expenses 5,200 per million by The entire batch had for treatment if they true positive,” says Dr Gangakhedkar. There the same date to be recalled test positive are methods by which repeatedly testing a kit could ascertain its sensitivity and specific-

30 INDIA TODAY APRIL 27, 2020 A LONG WAY TO GO Where India stands Vis-a-vis the rest in terms of testing As on April 16, India had tested 258,730 individuals, or 196 tests per Current no. of Rapid test million. In order to reach the average shortage of PPE and trained person- tests kits ordered testing levels of other countries, nel. “We have one virologist and three India needs to conduct the following microbiologists, but we need expert 24,000 4.5 number of tests: technicians and an automated RNA per day million extraction machine,” he says. 13,926,000 What is also needed is communica- to match South Korea’s Desired no. of Orders for tion about testing. “Public outreach is tests PCR tests 10,550 tests per million the foundation of a good public health 100,000 2.5 12,361,800 strategy,” says Chapal Mehra, a public per day million to compete with the US’s health analyst in Delhi. “People need to 9,365 tests per million know basics—the kinds of tests, their Domestic Firms granted reliability and cost, who should be tested manufacturing import licences 6,270,400 and at what stage.” Communication, capacity 33 51 to keep up with the UK’s after all, played a huge role in Kerala’s 4,750 tests per million success in dealing with the disease. 8 mn for PCR for rapid per month Source: South Korea health dept, Field workers made door to door calls kits kits NHS UK and CDC, as on April 16 to tackle any fear of being tested. “No disease can be stopped without people’s participation,” says Dr Amar Fettle, the State of HIGHEST TESTS LOWEST TESTS nodal officer for infectious diseases in testing PER MILLION PER MILLION the state health department. “The public West will step up when they know what to do. How different Andaman Bengal So we made it extremely clear that if you states & Nicobar measure up 38 have symptoms, go to a quick centre for 3,307 a PCR test. If you don’t have symptoms Uttar but have been in contact with someone Delhi Pradesh All figures as who does, consult a doctor and get a on April 16. PCR test. We ensured everybody knew States with 830 92 less than five this, from schoolchildren to the elderly.” COVID cases Rajasthan Bihar There is now an effort to dissemi- were not nate information via social media, included 599 72 radio and television, but confusion remains. Many do not know the difference between rapid and RT-PCR tests, and do not realise that the rapid test is not a confirmatory test for COVID-19. ity, but ICMR is yet to make public its sample of the COVID-19 RNA, which Bengaluru-based start-up Bione has protocol for testing kits before approval, can be extracted either from a human been selling single-use rapid kits for Rs in the absence of which it is impos- sample or a synthetic one.) 2,500, claiming in their description that sible to judge the reliability of the kits The reliability of RT-PCR tests also they can provide results in 5-10 minutes. being cleared for sale. “We would have a depends heavily on lab infrastructure, On April 5, CDSCO released a public clearer picture of whether false negative trained lab technicians and the avail- notice saying the company did not have or positive samples are needed for kits ability of PPE, or personal protection a licence to sell in India and was not on if we knew how the tests for sensitivity equipment, to prevent sample contami- the list of ICMR-verified rapid kits. and specificity were being conducted,” nation. India still has only 219 testing India has bought itself some more says Aisola. A false positive can mean facilities for 720 districts, which means time by extending the lockdown, but isolation for a person, but a false nega- samples have to be packed and trans- has yet to get its act together. The gov- tive for an infected person will mean no ported, delaying results. Various state ernment has placed orders for PPE, an- treatment or isolation—undesirable for governments have requested ICMR to nounced plans to enlist ENT specialists a disease as infectious as COVID-19. clear 45 labs, but only eight had been to collect samples and to expand testing ICMR declined to comment on either cleared till April 13. Dr Pradip Kundu centres to include medical colleges. Test- the protocol for kit clearance or why of the School of Tropical Medicine, ing, however, has still not been ramped manufacturers are not being provided an ICMR-approved testing centre in up to desired levels. Lockdowns, after human controls. (A positive control is a Kolkata, says they have an extreme all, can only be temporary reprieves.

APRIL 27, 2020 INDIA TODAY 31 HIGH ALARM A doctor, in protective suit, screens residents of Dharavi in Mumbai

COVER STORY

HOTSPOTS THE LINE OF CORONA CONTROL Hotspots and containment zones within them are the thrust areas as the government looks to maximise gains from the extended lockdown

By AMARNATH K. MENON VIRUS FOOTPRINT Hotspots with large outbreaks More than half of India’s districts have been Hotspots with clusters of infection identiﬁed as ‘hotspots’ or ‘potential hotspots’ Potential hotspots reporting cases

LADAKH HIMACHAL BIHAR 0 1 1 PRADESH 1 3 7 0 5 0 JAMMU & KASHMIR JHARKHAND 6 2 5 CHANDIGARH 0 2 3 1 0 0 PUNJAB ARUNACHAL PRADESH 4 4 9 UTTARAKHAND 0 0 1 1 2 3 HARYANA ASSAM 4 2 12 UTTAR 0 5 7 PRADESH DELHI MEGHALAYA 9 4 28 9 1 1 0 0 1

RAJASTHAN MIZORAM 11 1 13 0 0 1

GUJARAT TRIPURA 5 1 14 0 0 2

MADHYA PRADESH WEST BENGAL 5 1 17 4 0 8

MAHARASHTRA ODISHA 11 3 15 1 1 7

GOA ANDHRA PRADESH CHHATTISGARH 0 0 2 11 0 0 1 1 3

KARNATAKA PUDUCHERRY ANDAMAN 3 5 11 0 0 2 0 1 0

KERALA TAMIL NADU TELANGANA 6 1 6 22 0 9 8 1 19 Source: MoHFW

ANI 123 47 207 Hotspot districts with Hotspot districts Non-hotspot districts with large outbreaks with clusters clusters (potential hotspots)

n the 90-foot road, an 16) among its estimated 850,000 the Union ministry for health and otherwise vibrant spot residents, Dharavi, one of Asia’s most family welfare (MoHFW). In Delhi, in Mumbai’s Dharavi, densely populated slums spread over where the ministry has identified 10 policemen take out just 2.4 km, has been the focus of hotspots, the number of containment Oa flag march appeal- considerable attention by worried zones has gradually risen to 55. It is ing to people to stay municipal officials. these hotspots where the Centre and home. Teams of the Brihanmumbai By mid-April, the BMC had states aim to focus their energy and Municipal Corporation (BMC) go marked out nearly 400 ‘outbreak resources in the coming weeks of the checking door to door for those containment zones’ across Mumbai. extended lockdown to try and flatten with symptoms of COVID-19, such Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban the coronavirus curve. as high fever, persistent cough and are two of the 170 ‘hotspots’ of coro- Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s breathing difficulty. With 86 positive navirus in the country—and among address to the nation on April 14 cases and nine deaths (as on April Maharashtra’s 14—as classified by made this amply evident. Modi said

APRIL 27, 2020 INDIA TODAY 33 COVER STORY

HOTSPOTS

DESPERATE TIMES A deserted stretch of Ramganj in Jaipur; (far right) security personnel on the streets of Delhi’s Nizamuddin

that states and Union territories that will effectively contain the CO- VID spread in their hotspots could expect some relaxations from the prevailing restrictions after April 20. In their rounds of discussions, too, the prime minister and the chief ministers have concurred that the way forward is to stringently enforce protocols in the hotspots in order to contain any spurt in cases. Announcing its new national-level classification of 170 hotspots and PURUSHOTTAM DIWAKAR 207 potential hotspots on April 15, the MoHFW laid down the strategy to contain the spread of COVID-19 within and from them (see Virus CONTAINMENT STRATEGY point an infected person had come in Footprint). According to the new contact with, along with an additional administrative etiquette, hotspots are Outbreak containment zones in the 2 km buffer area. As cases mounted, districts where the number of cases hotspots form the building block of the the definition was amended, with the is doubling in less than four days, states’ strategy to slow down the spread infected person’s house as the epicen- or districts which contribute more of COVID-19 (see Covid Checkpoints). tre and a ‘practical area’ around it, as than 80 per cent of cases in a state or It is estimated that there are already determined by the health authorities. in the country. Based on how many more than 1,500 of them across the Definitions may vary, but the outbreak containment zones, or clus- country, and officials are bracing for focus in all outbreak containment ters, a hotspot has, the ministry has many more as the number of positive zones is sanitation, isolation of positive categorised them as districts that have cases rises steadily. States have marked cases, controlling the spread of infec- experienced ‘large outbreaks’ (123) out the containment zones going by tion by identifying suspected cases or have ‘clusters’ of infection (47). their assessment of the potential risk early and sending them for lab tests. The ministry hoped that these ‘red of spread, based on the number of The detection of every new case is fol- zones’ could move to the ‘orange zone’ positive cases and the suspected cases lowed by their primary contacts being category if they remained free of new among their primary contacts. tracked down within and outside the cases for 14 days, and further to the So, the area of a containment containment zone. ‘green zone’ if this was maintained for zone varies. In Uttar Pradesh, these Confining residents of a contain- another fortnight (so far, 25 districts are areas with a minimum of six ment zone to their homes has been in 15 states have moved to the orange positive cases. In the initial days of somewhat easier in places with high zone). The potential hotspots were the outbreak, the Madhya Pradesh public awareness. Otherwise, au- classified as districts that do not administration had defined a contain- thorities are known to have deployed meet the hotspot criteria, but have ment zone as an area of 1 km radius stronger means, such as heavy police reported cases nonetheless. from the outermost geographical patrolling and concertina wire

34 INDIA TODAY APRIL 27, 2020 K ASIF/MAIL TODAY

A smooth supply of daily essentials is critical for any containment zone to succeed. Like in Hyderabad, where state canteens are offering subsidised meals to the poor

fencing of the zones. Across states, has been working in the locality for people who can access delivery notices now, there is increasing reliance on several years, points out that although on the internet,” says former Delhi technology, such as the use of drones the neighbourhood is now notorious mayor Farhad Suri. He is particularly for surveillance. for the outbreak of COVID-19 infec- peeved about the police allegedly ob- tions among Tablighi Jamaat mission- structing a community initiative to DEMAND AND SUPPLY aries, who had gathered at their global provide cooked meals to more than headquarters here in March, “there 200 needy families in the area. The A dedicated supply of daily essentials have actually been very few cases in young men who tried to deliver these by the authorities is critical for the the Nizamuddin basti itself”. meals have been beaten on several containment strategy to succeed. But occasions, alleges Suri. Meanwhile the supplies in many clusters are neither anda says the area is very Aga Khan Foundation has begun dis- uniform nor regular. A successful socially diverse, with 10 tributing packets of rations to needy enterprise has been the delivery of N distinct mohallas, ranging families this week. cooked meals, priced at Rs 5, to the from the wealthy blocks of For the authorities, people’s poor by the Telangana government- Nizamuddin West to the extremely im- tendency to ﬂout social distancing run Annapurna canteens in some of poverished tenements where as many and lockdown rules poses practical the containment zones in Hyderabad. as 10 people may be crammed together challenges. But Raju Korde, a social In Delhi, the historic Nizamuddin in a single room. “So inevitably, they worker in Dharavi, points towards the quarter, where two adjoining areas will spill onto the street at some point, “unavoidable circumstances” behind have been demarcated as containment where the police may go after them,” he such behaviour by the slum’s residents. zones, is emblematic of the social and says. Although the government is or- “Their houses are like tinderboxes with administrative tensions simmering in ganising periodic deliveries of rations no proper ventilation. They go out to the cordoned-off areas. Ratish Nanda by truck, these may not be reaching breathe fresh air,” says Korde. It is no of the Aga Khan Foundation, which everyone. “The rations only come to different in the ghetto-like conditions

APRIL 27, 2020 INDIA TODAY 35 COVER STORY COVID CHECKPOINTS HOTSPOTS

How outbreak containment clusters designed to check the spread of COVID-19 work of several Muslim-dominated clusters, such as Mallepally in Hyderabad and Sher Galli in Secunderabad. MARKING OUT THE ZONES Confinement brings in logistical problems for the people. Life remains The cluster containment The containment zones are paralysed in Bimbisar Nagar, in strategy is meant to contain the determined by state health Mumbai’s Goregaon (East) suburb, novel coronavirus within a defined authorities based on the number as the entire area, housing eight geographical area through early of positive cases and the number apartment complexes and close to detection of cases and breaking of people the infected came in 2,000 people, has been turned into the chain of transmission. States contact with. A containment a containment zone. Manisha S., 43, mark specific areas, covering zone is usually the ‘epicentre’ who works in a private company, says households, as containment zones (residence of the infected person) she is too scared to step out of her or clusters. and an area of unspecified extent third-floor apartment using the stair- around it; can be redefined if case or the elevator. “I had ordered there is a spurt in cases. groceries online, but could not have them delivered as no outsider can The containment zone enter our society,” she says. Another is surrounded by a buffer resident, 36-year-old homemaker zone—an additional 5 km Lalita Tiwari, says people realised the radius area in the urban importance of isolation only when belts and 7 km in the rural the residential society was declared a areas. The zone is divided containment zone. “Even the elderly CHAKRABORTY TANMOY into sectors of 50 houses people used to go out for walks. Now, each (30 in ‘difficult’ areas). they are staying put at home and advising others too not to venture by Graphic about,” says Tiwari. In Maharashtra, which has registered more positive cases than any other state, a team of five—two doctors, a nurse and two health officials— are deputed to each containment zone to regularly screen residents and take those showing COVID-19 symptoms for testing. The protocol recommends daily surveillance by a two-member health team of 30-50 households in the cluster to identify suspected cases. This is easier said than done because there aren’t enough professional health workers, with surveillance experience in malaria, tuberculosis or other public health campaigns, around. In several areas, district collectors, who are the nodal officers entrusted with efficiently running all containment zones in their adminis-

NO-GO ZONE Police enforce the nationwide lockdown in Delhi’s Dilshad Garden QAMAR SIBTAIN/MAIL TODAY

36 INDIA TODAY APRIL 27, 2020 PROTOCOL AND ACTION

The district collector is the nodal The frontline health workers officer for cluster containment in ensure that the contacts of each district and is assisted by a positive/ suspected cases are team of health workers home-quarantined and wear three-layered surgical masks at The frontline team for real-time all times. Their families are briefed reporting of new cases consists of about the precautions to be taken. accredited social health activists (ASHA), auxiliary nurse midwives The workers and medical (ANM) and anganwadi workers. officers are entrusted They do house visits, maintain a list with transferring suspected of suspected and confirmed cases, COVID-19 cases by ambulance to identify the primary contacts one of the listed health facilities of these cases and inform the for testing. Thereafter, their supervisory medical officer. contacts are line-listed.

The supervisory medical officer collates data from the door-to- The supervisory officer informs door surveillance and shares it the control room about all contacts with the control room daily of confirmed/ suspected cases along with their addresses. These contacts are tracked down for the If there is a paucity of 14-day home-quarantine. However, professional workers, volunteers, they are monitored for COVID-19 including from the National Service symptoms for a total of 28 days. Scheme (NSS) and National Cadet If a contact lives outside the Corps (NCC), are roped in. They containment zone, the designated are briefed about their roles official of that area is informed. and responsibilities.

A stringent implementation of the and social stigma, may not be forth- coming. The way to go forward is to screening and testing protocol is successfully isolate positive cases, now needed, particularly in the test all those they came in contact crowded containment zones with, identify those with symptoms and scale up random testing. This will require stringent implementation of the screening and testing trative jurisdiction, have been forced Bhopal. But most people did not want protocol, particularly in the crowded to rope in revenue and police person- to meet us. Also, the containment clusters, and abundant supply of reli- nel to overcome the staff shortage. zone was announced five days after a able testing kits. The Delhi govern- case was reported. The damage had ment says it will soon start rapid TRUST DEFICIT already been done.” In Dharavi, when testing in the city’s containment BMC officials found several residents zones and is procuring 100,000 kits Often, health workers avoid going for reluctant to open up to the visiting for the purpose. Unless other states the intensive daily surveys and wait medical teams, they enlisted some 150 show similar intent, the national for suspected cases to emerge in the local doctors to encourage the people lockdown will fail to serve its critical containment zones. The failure to to come forward. purpose of limiting the spread of the establish trust and gain people’s con- Officials who manage clusters say deadly coronavirus. fidence is another hindrance. A doctor physical containment of people is of- —with Kiran D. Tare, Sonali in Bhopal recalls, “We went house to ten the easier part, the real challenge Acharjee, Rahul Noronha, Gulam house in Professor’s Colony, the first being to identify suspected cases Jeelani, Rohit Parihar, Romita Dutta containment cluster announced in who, fearing testing, hospitalisation and Amitabh Srivastava

APRIL 27, 2020 INDIA TODAY 37 COVER STORY

PHOTO FEATURE GEARED FOR BATTLE Medical professionals across the globe are on the frontlines in the war against COVID-19. Earmarked on April 4 as a dedicated hospital for corona patients, Delhi’s Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital is handling the largest number of cases—780—in the city. A look inside reveals the hardships the doctors are facing, but also their steely determination to overcome the odds

Photographs By PANKAJ NANGIA Text by SONALI ACHARJEE

Two doctors at LNJP tend to a COVID-19 patient. It is emotionally exhausting. “I saw a woman die of air hunger,” says Dr Richa Narang, the resident anesthesiologist. “COVID-19’s attack on the body has left me shocked. It depletes the oxygen- carrying capacity of blood. No matter how much oxygen we gave her, she couldn’t breathe. She died alone, with no family or friends by her side.” 1. A doctor gets into PPE coveralls. Every building at LNJP has been converted into a quarantine facility. There are 1,500 beds, including 66 for critical care, and 45 ventilators. Each one of the hospital’s 1,000 resident doctors is on call, along with every postgrad- uate student, junior resident and consultant. “It is all hands on deck. We have a 14-day shift of 8-12 hours, followed by a 14-day quarantine,” says Dr Dinesh Singh. All healthcare workers have to take preventive doses of hydroxychloroquine, which can have side effects. “Most people are ﬁne but a few have reported palpitations,” says Dr. Narang.

2. COVID-19 patients can be released only after they test negative for two tests within 24 hours once symptoms subside. There is no respite for the doctors, though. “We have a shortage of PPE kits in the general quarantine wards, especially for nurses, orderlies and sweepers,” says Dr Sarvari Damaraju, a non-PG, junior resident. “With some 60 patients in each quarantine room, the viral load is tremendous.” Doctors estimate LNJP has about 6,000 PPE kits (although there is no official count available); they have to wear a fresh set daily. 2 COVER STORY

PHOTO FEATURE

3. “I have not seen my parents or been home in three months,” says Dr Narang, who lives in Kaushambi, 15 kilometres away from the hospital. “They are both heart patients and I don’t want to be a risk to them,” says the doctor, who has been on eight-hour shifts in the ICU for the past 16 days. “Most of the patients in the ICU are old and very scared. We have been treating them based on symptoms, usually a combination of Tamiﬂu, azithromycin, HCQ, Augmentin and lopinavir/ ritonavir. They beg us to help them breathe, but we are helpless against the virus,” she says.

3 COVER STORY

PHOTO FEATURE

1. 2. 3. A 15-year-old boy is the Patients read namaaz in an An LNJP doctor at the only minor among the 780 LNJP ward. “Those from Hotel LaLit in Delhi. On COVID patients at LNJP. the Tablighi Jamaat markaz completing their 14-day Though asymptomatic, he gathering outnumber all work period, residents has tested positive for the patients. They are brought and junior residents are virus. He spends his time here in packed buses. The kept for two weeks at the talking to the staff and on asymptomatic ones are an- LaLit. Here, they catch up his phone. “He is not un- gry to be here. There is no on their studies, speak to well, but I had to explain to medication for COVID-19 their friends and family him that he could make me unless you have symp- and try to process the unwell since I do not have toms,” says Dr Damaraju. realities of their lives for protective coveralls, only Of the 1,561 positive cases the next few months. a mask,” says a nurse who in Delhi, 1,080 have been “Everything has changed does not wish to be named linked to the gathering in for medical workers. It or photographed. “Some- Nizamuddin. They were is mentally draining, but times, even gloves are hard initially sent to quarantine as doctors, we know our to get. I handle infected facilities where they are duty. What we need most glasses, clothes, utensils. I being tested. “Conditions right now is protection need money for my family. I can deteriorate quickly, from assault and from won’t get another job especially among the infection within the hos- if I leave here.” elderly” adds Damaraju. pital,” says Dr Narang.

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COVER STORY

KERALA How MODEL Kerala Flattened

The southern state’s pandemic ﬁghting skills the and fabled healthcare system have helped it beat back COVID-19. What others can learn Curve from its example By Jeemon Jacob

n January 23, when Kerala’s health minister K.K. Shailaja chaired a high-level meeting of her department officials, worry lines had begun creasing her brow. China had announced a lockdown in Wuhan and other cities in Hubei province. Hundreds of students from Kerala were studying for professional courses in Wuhan, and there were fears they O would carry the virus back to the state. The sprightly health minister, who had been at the forefront of the state’s battle against the Nipah virus in 2018, had the task of drafting the action plan against a possible novel coronavirus outbreak. Three medical students from the Wuhan Institute of Medical Sciences had returned to their homes in Alappuzha, Thrissur and Kasargod that day and were in home quarantine. A week later, on January 30, when one of the three became India’s ‘patient zero’, the state was prepared. SWAB CENTRE A control room had been set up on January 23 itself at the General A walk-in COVID-19 Hospital premises in Thiruvananthapuram. The state machinery had sample kiosk at Ernakulam Medical its strategy in place to counter the spread of the infection, but there College, Kochi was every reason to worry.

APRIL 27, 2020 INDIA TODAY 45 ARUN CHANDRABOSE/ GETTY IMAGES COVER STORY

KERALA MODEL Ahead of the Curve Kerala is connected to the world in Kerala’s COVID-19 infection rates are now near a way few other Indian states are. It has an expatriate population of 2.5 million rock bottom. The lockdown has helped too people and four international airports Cases servicing over 17 million passengers double every year. A population density of 819 every 2 days people per square kilometre makes Log scale it India’s eighth most densely populated state. But it also had two trump 10,000 cards—a world-class healthcare system and experience in containing the 2018 outbreak of the lethal Nipah virus. Today, January 30 appears to be a lifetime away. Over 128,000 people have since died across the world of COVID-19, Maharashtra 392 of them in India. Even as the disease Cases begins to spike across the country, Tamil double 1,000 Nadu prompting an extension of the 21-day every 5 Delhi days lockdown till May 3, Kerala is one of the Telangana few states that has managed to ﬂatten Uttar Pradesh the disease curve. The state has so far Andhra Pradesh Kerala lost only three people to the infection. Madhya Pradesh Of the 387 infected, 211 have recovered fully. On April 13, it reported just two Karnataka new cases. The state has a recovery rate 100 of 84 per cent, compared to 14 per cent 0 2 4 6 8 1012141618 in the rest of the country. It hasn’t been Number of days passed after 100 cases

an easy struggle and the aftereffects will CHAKRABORTY TANMOY endure. The lockdown has reduced its Data as of 5 pm, April 10, 2020 Source: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India Today Data Intelligence Unit

Graphic by Graphic

major revenue streams—overseas remit- at modest incomes compared to the tances, revenues from the sale of alcohol, rest of the states in India’. Kerala has tourism and sale of lottery tickets—to a consistently topped the country in the trickle. Preliminary estimates suggest overall health index—from low neonatal the state could incur a revenue loss of Rs mortality rates to total fertility rate. 50,000 crore (FY2021) due to the CO- This is when it has the same number of VID-19 crisis. According to state ﬁnance hospital beds to people—1.05 per 1,000 minister Dr Thomas Isaac, the lockdown people—as national capital Delhi does. period itself has led to a revenue loss of Yet, it was more than just its fabled Rs 4,980 crore (based on revenue collec- world-class healthcare system that tions for March-April 2019). delivered tangible results. What helped The state’s exemplary social indica- the state of 34 million people was a tors led to the coinage ‘Kerala Model’ combination of factors. A leadership in the 1970s, to note how a low-income that geared itself up to tackle a pan- state with high literacy rates and demic with contingency plans and then healthy citizens boasted a standard of relentlessly followed it up with commu- living comparable to life in the devel- nication strategies and social mobilisa- oped nations. In 2018, it earned praise tion even as it set up mechanisms to from the World Health Organization for identify, isolate, test and treat the in- ‘achieving impressive health outcomes fected. Huge awareness campaigns were

46 INDIA TODAY APRIL 27, 2020 Illustrations by RAJ VERMA kicked off and hundreds of thousands identified four priorities—checking com- of health workers dispatched through munity spread of the infection, insulat- the 14 districts of the state to fight the ing doctors, nurses and paramedical epidemic. If Prime Minister Narendra staff, home quarantining high-risk Modi likened COVID-19 to a world war, category people to break the chain and, Kerala was already on the frontlines. finally, putting the state under high The Kerala Model 2.0 is a story the rest surveillance against the infection. of the world can well take lessons from. When the three medical students from Wuhan arrived, the state imme- ANTICIPATING THE diately placed them in isolation wards. PANDEMIC Their fellow travellers on the Kolkata- Kerala was battle-inoculated against Kochi flight were identified and also viruses in 2018. In May that year, it home quarantined. “Our battle began grappled with South India’s first case when the first travellers from Wuhan of Nipah virus, which often leads to arrived in the state on January 23,” acute respiratory distress, encephalitis, says Shailaja. On February 3, as a third seizures and coma in its patients within patient tested positive for COVID-19, 24 to 48 hours. The mortality rate was Kerala declared the virus a state calam- estimated at between 40 and 75 per cent. ity. It helped the government put col- The virus, thought to have travelled lectors as point persons in the districts from the fruit bat to humans, spread with magisterial powers to mobilise all rapidly through the two northern dis- measures based on isolating patients, manpower and logistics at their disposal. tricts of Kozhikode and Malappuram the use of personal protection equip- The battle had now escalated into a war. with 17 deaths and 18 confirmed cases. ment and decontaminating surfaces. The state health machinery acted fast The WHO praised Kerala for ‘relying IDENTIFY, TEST, with then Union health minister J.P. on the strengths of its health system to ISOLATE Nadda and Chief Minister Pina- contain the outbreak. The leadership On February 3, the state government rayi Vijayan leading the day-to-day and commitment of all levels of Indian requested the National Institute of outbreak analysis and response. Key health authorities were seen’. Virology, Pune, to set up a testing facility learnings in the fight were a focus What also helped was the ramped- at its field unit in Alappuzha to facili- on infection prevention and control up spending on healthcare—Rs 5,000 tate speedy testing for COVID-19. The crore over the past five years. Since 2016, state health department constituted the state government has focused on three task forces—planning, execution developing infrastructure at government and monitoring—to reinforce its battle hospitals, right from the primary health against the disease. Principal secretary, centres (PHCs) to medical colleges. health, Dr Rajan Khobragade was the Around 600 doctors and 1,500 nurses coordinator for all the three task forces. were appointed in this period (fresh ap- The state issued guidelines to health pointment orders for 276 doctors from workers and others on the frontlines the Public Service Commission rank list about COVID-19 symptoms and were issued on March 24). New build- alerted them about how it could be mis- Our battle ings were constructed even as the state taken for viral fever or a common cold. charted a plan to get National Quality Helplines were set up in all districts and began when Assurance Standard (NQAS) accredita- the government appealed to the people the first tion for government hospitals. This year who had returned from Wuhan or other travellers from alone, 12 of them got NQAS certifica- Chinese territories to remain home tion. Hospital development committ- quarantined for 28 days. The state also Wuhan arrived ees were constituted to monitor their started testing and screening high-risk in the state on functioning. The state also introduced people who were in the contact lists of January 23” ‘star ratings’ for its PHCs. the infected on January 25. A team of In January, as evidence began mou- doctors started contact tracking and —K.K. SHAILAJA nting of a large-scale pandemic, Kerala home quarantined all contacts in the Health minister, Kerala was already off the blocks. The state first phase. Above all, the chief minister

APRIL 27, 2020 INDIA TODAY 47 COVER STORY

KERALA MODEL

Dr R.L. Saritha, director, state health The state introduced a lockdown services. There were many anxious mo- on March 23 before it hit the 100 ments after March 8 when an NRI fam- infections mark. The 21-day national ily from Italy returned to the state on a lockdown came at a critical point for domestic flight without declaring that the state, government officials say. Else, they had come back from Europe. there would have been a fresh wave of The family triggered off the second infections from its returning emigres. phase of the COVID-19 outbreak. They arrived in Kochi on February 29, SOCIAL DISTANCING travelled to their village in Pathana- Kerala promoted social distancing and mthitta district by car and visited use of masks by the public from January several locations, including a local bar. 30, the first state in the country to do Their primary contact list included over so. A state calamity was declared on 800 people in three districts. Nearly February 3. Schools and colleges were 250 families in a single district were closed on March 10. The same day, the sent into home quarantine after seven government appealed to all religious members of the family tested positive groups to cancel community gather- for COVID-19. ings at religious places after the second The state had been anticipating outbreak in Pathanamthitta district. community spread of the infection any On March 15, as the number of time and had prepared an action plan. infections in the state touched 95, Chief Soon, the health department notified Minister Pinarayi Vijayan convened a 28 hospitals, including medical coll- video conference with religious leaders eges, as COVID-19 specialty hospitals of all faiths. The Christians readily directed local self-government bodies in the state. Meanwhile, four more agreed to close their churches. Muslim to get involved and scan their localities testing centres opened in the state. “We leaders also appealed to the community for people who had returned from the decided to intensify surveillance across to stop daily prayers at the mosques. infected countries after January 14. the state and charted a plan B and C The Hindu temples closed down despite By January 30, the date when for the future. We realised we had to March and April being festival season in ‘patient zero’ was confirmed, the govern- set up corona care homes to quaran- Kerala. Beginning March 10, all temple ment had begun setting up isolation tine passengers arriving from foreign festivals had anyway been cancelled wards in all medical colleges, general countries and other states,” says the in the state. The few religious leaders and district hospitals. Doctors and nurs- health minister. The state government who violated the code saw police cases ing staff were deployed across the state identified hostels, educational institu- after training. The government also set tions and unoccupied buildings and set up 12 testing labs to enable early identifi- up 635 corona care centres for isolation. cation of COVID-19 patients. Apart from this, around 125,000 rooms The health department provided have been designated as isolation wards personal protective equipment (PPE) to to accommodate suspected cases of CO- all caregivers and paramedical staff and VID-19 during the quarantine period. issued guidelines for sample collection, Today, anyone who enters the state handling of swabs and testing proce- has to undergo mandatory isolation. dures. Early screening had helped the The period is 14 days if the traveller three patients with COVID-19 to swiftly is coming from another state, and 28 recover. On February 13, their tests days if he/ she is coming from outside turned negative and became a morale the country (a Gulf returnee in Kannur booster for the health department. “But tested positive on the 26th day, April 14, we decided to continue our vigil as a after arrival). “We have followed global large number of passengers were still norms and a targeted approach in this coming in from the Gulf and other coun- battle against COVID-19,” says Dr B. tries. We feared that despite the screen- Ekbal, Kerala Planning Board member ing at all four airports, someone with and a public health expert. Kerala has an infection would slip through,” says conducted 17,400 tests as on April 16.

48 INDIA TODAY APRIL 27, 2020 duty (OSD) M. Sivasankar. State chief had reported the single biggest spike in secretary Tom Jose was directed to co- coronavirus cases in the state. ordinate with various departments and the Centre. At 3 pm every day, a dossier PEOPLE POWER containing consolidated reports of state- A mere government-led top-down wide activities lands on the CM’s table approach would never have succeeded before he begins his review meeting. The without the social mobilisation in the assembly session was also cut short on state. The state set up a 250,000-strong March 13 and legislators requested to volunteer force in just two days on undertake COVID-19 awareness activi- March 26. Over the next three days, ties in their constituencies. these volunteers (all in the 22-40 age Amid all these efforts, two northern group and without criminal records) districts—Kasargod and Kannur—be- were made eligible for working with came a health challenge for the state. their respective local government bodies. These districts today account for 77 After a brief training schedule, they are per cent of the infections in the state, assigned voluntary work commensu- slapped against them. The government mainly because of the huge presence of rate with their qualifications. The work also used the media effectively. On includes being standby ambulance driv- March 15, the ‘Break the Chain’ cam- ers, and nurses and paramedical staff to paign was launched to check the spread assist the 3,000-strong health work- of infections and promote social dis- force. Others are deployed to deliver food tancing and personal hygiene practices. packets to the poor or keep surveillance Social media played a pivotal role on those under home quarantine. All of in the success of these campaigns. it is voluntary, with no one getting paid Superstars like Mammootty, Mohanlal anything apart from a travel allowance. and other popular actors promoted the Starting March 26, the state also set campaigns on their Facebook pages. up 18,828 camps for its ‘guest workers’— Youth organisations, merchant associa- Kerala will the migrant labour from other states. tions, resident associations, they all continue its Over 300,000 people are being hosted joined the ‘Break the Chain’ campaign. in the camps and provided free food and Even the Kerala police got into the act, vigil till the last medical care. The state has set up 1,255 with dance videos promoting masks patient recovers community kitchens; 280,000 food and drone footage set to film music. and completes packets are distributed daily. Free ra- “Washing hands, wearing masks and tion kits of 35 kilos of rice and Rs 1,000 social distancing became the thumb the quarantine worth of essential commodities have rule for Kerala after March 15. Every- period” gone out to 3.69 million families. one followed it in the right spirit,” All this would not have been possible —PINARAYI VIJAYAN says Varghese Madassery, 49, an NRI without the cooperation of civil society, Chief Minister, Kerala businessman in Kochi. the vigilant state police force and community volunteers. CM Vijayan admits FOCUSED APPROACH as much while explaining how the state On February 18, Kerala constituted returning NRIs in the district. Their re- lowered the infection curve. But there three high-level committees and ex- luctance to follow social distancing and will be no lowering of the guard. District pert groups to advise the government the quarantine code triggered the infec- administrations will remain on high on COVID-19. Among their members tion levels in the districts. The situation alert till mid-May. “We will continue were specialist doctors, virologists, di- improved only after the district admin- our vigil till the last patient recovers and saster management experts, software istrations intensified surveillance. completes the quarantine period,” the professionals, hospital administra- The state government has also now chief minister told INDIA TODAY. Kerala tors, former civil servants and retired set up a dedicated COVID-19 hospital was one of the states which backed the defence personnel. at the Kasargod Medical College to Centre’s plan to extend the lockdown. Also set up was a special monitoring plug any deficiencies in the system. The chief minister believes the next four group headed by R. Mohan, secretary to With 34 COVID-19 cases reported in weeks are critical. Complacency, clearly, the chief minister, and officer on special a single day (March 27), the district has no place in Kerala Model 2.0.

APRIL 27, 2020 INDIA TODAY 49 COVER STORY

MSMES

GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS

MSMEs are the lifeblood of the Indian economy. This sector needs much greater support to survive the lockdown

By SHWWETA PUNJ

he indirect impact of COVID-19 will be as brutal as the lives the pandemic itself might claim. One of the starker changes, already in plain view, is that millions of small estab- T lishments will be out of business—among them perhaps your favourite restaurant, the salon next door, the local tailor, the roadside juicewala—businesses that were an integral part of your everyday existence but don’t have the economic staying power to outlast this storm. MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) are the lifeblood of the Indian economy, employing about 120 million, contributing 33.4 per cent of India’s manufacturing output and making up 45 per cent of India’s exports. Even so, they are also among the most vulnerable—relying heavily on day-to-day business to stay afloat and more exposed to the vagaries of demand than their larger counterparts. It goes unsaid that they have minimal reserves to dip into in times of trouble. S. Jayaprasad, 49, downed the shutters of his small Mumbai- based firm on March 19, when the government ordered all private businesses closed. His firm, Michael Gunnis, exports metal parts 63.4MILLION The number of MSMEs in India SHEKHAR GHOSH

AMITABH KHARBANDA, 48 Sunlord Apparels, Noida Worse than the Plague harbanda’s 41-year-old order cancellations too,” he company has three says, “but this is by far the K factories in Noida and worst I have seen in the past Greater Noida. A month ago, 25 years.” With 40 per cent of he was getting orders ready his labourers having returned for shipment to the US and to their villages, Kharbanda Europe. Nearly 90 per cent says his big worry is how to of the company’s revenues resume operations once the come from apparel and home lockdown is lifted. He antici- furnishing exports. He says pates that he will have to let orders worth Rs 16 crore go of 60 per cent of his labour have been cancelled. “The force in the short term. plague of 1994 in Surat saw —Shwweta Punj % % 33.4 120MILLION 45 Contribution of MSMEs to Approximate number of Contribution of MSMEs to manufacturing output people employed by MSMEs India’s overall exports COVER STORY

MSMES

to construction outfits in west Asia. He 14, Prime Minister Narendra Modi his stock has lost most of its value. says the shutdown left him unable to repeated an appeal his government has On April 15, businesses were execute orders that were to be shipped frequently made to businesses since given some relief. The government an- by March-end: “We are worried about the lockdown began—that employees nounced certain relaxations of the lock- our clients, and are unsure if they will not be fired or have their salaries cut. down, including permitting the opera- continue with us after the lockdown.” But exasperated business owners ask tions of IT and IT-enabled services (up He says that firms like his need im- how this is even possible. Complicating to 50 per cent strength), e-commerce mediate support in deferring fixed costs matters is that authorities have issued companies, courier services, industries like electricity. Although he has a small official notifications on the subject. For operating in rural areas, manufactur- team of four, he also worries about pay- instance, in a letter dated March 20, by ing and other industrial establishments ing wages: “Over time, even [sustain- Kalpana Rajsinghot, joint secretary at in special economic zones, export-ori- ing] that becomes painful—salaries the Union ministry for labour and em- ented units, and industrial estates and form 40 per cent of our overall cost.” ployment, employers’ associations were townships. This has been permitted The biggest challenge for small advised to ‘extend their coordination by with a caveat that transportation and business owners has been dwindling not terminating employees, particularly accommodation facilities on site must operating capital. The lockdown has casual or contractual workers or reduc- be provided for workers. left them with a pile of expenses—util- ing their wages’, and that ‘if a place of ity bills, rents, salaries. On the other employment is made non-operational ther sectors that have hand, payments owed to these units are due to COVID-19, employees will been given permission stuck, creating a double squeeze. [still] be deemed to be on duty.’ O to start operations Rhea Mazumdar Singhal is the Official orders or not, business own- from April 20 include CEO of Ecoware, a sustainable food ers are running out of options. Singhal rural food processing packaging company that employs says she has no choice but to consider units, manufacturing of IT hardware, about 120 people at a factory in Greater salary cuts and reductions in employee coal production, manufacturing of Noida. Her clients include major firms numbers. Others say much the same. packaging material, the jute industry, like fast-food chain Haldirams and Amitabh Kharbanda of Sunlord Appar- brick kilns and construction activities, the Indian Railways. She says that els, a textile exporter, says he will have including of MSMEs in rural areas, payments of up to Rs 1 crore have been to let 60 per cent of his workers go, and among others However, the ambiguity delayed, and that while she has man- that much of his current production of geographical limits prescribed in the aged to pay salaries for March, doing run is now ‘dead stock’—textiles is a notification—which stated that these the same in April will be a challenge. fashion-sensitive seasonal market, and relaxations applied to units outside In his address to the nation on April having missed deliveries for this season, municipal areas—has left industry

ABHIJEET PATIL, 45 have been cancelled. “We will not be able to recalibrate the travel Raja Rani Travels, Mumbai plans as we are not sure whether the tourists would like to visit the same destination they had earlier Cancelled chosen,” he says. His firm is currently negotiating with airlines for Bookings refunds of cancellations, and he says he plans to focus on domes- atil’s company employs 25 peo- tic, short-distance tours after ple, working with companies the lockdown has lifted. He does P and celebrities in Bollywood not expect international tourists to manage their overseas travels and in the country for some time to film shoots and with tourists inter- come, and is hoping for a stimulus ested in film tourism. (His agency was package for the tourism industry, one of the pioneers of film tourism in one of the worst affected by the India.) In 2019, he organised nearly COVID-19 pandemic. 200 tours. In 2020, nearly all his tours —Kiran D. Tare

52 INDIA TODAY APRIL 27, 2020 LOCKDOWN CHALLENGES The various pain points for MSMEs and the relief sought

Salaries Government assistance has been sought for salary payments

PF contributions

PURUSHOTTAM DIWAKAR PURUSHOTTAM Suspension sought of provident fund contributions by employers and RAJ KUMAR GARG, 61 employees for three months for all MSMEs. The Federation of Indian Mi- Aquila Furniture, Jaipur cro and Small & Medium Enterprises says the government’s PF relief for units employing less than 100 work- Standing Idle ers and for salaries less than 15,000 will have limited impact arg’s ﬁrm has an annual turnover of about Rs 20 crore, and employs about 100 people. His monthly expenses during the Power bills G lockdown—salaries, wages, interest and rent—come to about Waiver sought for ‘demand’ and Rs 20 lakh. He says payments worth crores are stalled and that he ‘ﬁxed’ charges for three months is at risk of losing customers. Nonetheless, letting go of labour is not an option. “Any wise factory owner will retain manpower, so as to

restart work immediately after the lockdown ends. But I do not know Compliance dates how long we can survive. I hope the government allows [on-site] staff An automatic extension of compli- to work for a few hours [a day] without exposure to outsiders.” He ance dates for all regulatory pay- suggests the government enable this by ensuring regular site visits ments—whether GST, income tax, by doctors, or by making it binding on factory owners to ensure that house tax or others—to June all workers are healthy.

—Rohit Parihar Contractual obligations MSMEs supplying under government contracts want a reprieve from penal clauses for non-delivery due to the lockdown confused. For example, in Delhi, government and clarifications on its Declaration as NPAs most industrial areas are within notifications, the relaxations have To spare MSMEs from being municipal limits. Anil Bhardwaj, come as a relief, and the industry designated thus at this juncture, all secretary general of the Federation of is back to planning and executing measures announced by RBI to be Indian Micro, Small and Medium post-COVID strategies. According made mandatory for banks Enterprises, says, even with the to an assessment by the Federation relaxations, it will take until the first of Indian Export Organisations, the Demurrage week of May to get operations relaxations will help restart about The Rs 8,000 per day charge that running again, and this notification 80-85 per cent of manufacturing ports impose after cargo has not largely impacts players in the formal units geared towards exports. If these been cleared for three days and economy. “For instance, in Delhi, 70 units are able to start operations by shipping lines after 14 days should per cent of the industry is in areas like end April or early May, it would leave start applying two weeks after the Paharganj and Karol Bagh, among them in a better position to pay wages lifting of lockdown over and above others,” he points out. for May. Further, industries like food the standard period However, even as the battered processing and construction and sector waits for a stimulus from the those in rural areas are all labour-

APRIL 27, 2020 INDIA TODAY 53 COVER STORY ECONOMY MSMES

intensive, and restarting them would cent). And to ease the financial strain passes during the lockdown, while allow migrant labourers to begin earn- on employers, the Government has an- others cannot possibly restart business ing again. Allowing transport, ware- nounced that it will fund both employer without financial assistance. housing and cold storage would ensure and employee contributions to provi- On one frequently identified a smoother functioning of the supply dent funds, for firms with less than 100 problem—paying utility bills—officials chain. Steps like these are essential to workers and for employees earning less in Gadkari’s ministry say they have India’s exit strategy from what has been than Rs 15,000, for three months. been in touch with their counterparts the most stringent lockdown imposed However, execution remains a in the ministry of power. While the anywhere in the world. major problem. A number of small central electricity regulatory commis- business owners complain that banks sion issued a circular on the waiver of INTERVENTIONS SO FAR have not extended the RBI’s morato- utility bills, state electricity regulatory rium voluntarily and that it takes a lot commissions have yet to follow suit. In a speech in the Rajya Sabha on of negotiation to secure this relief. Also, “Consumers not paying power distrib- March 19, India’s Union MSME this three-month reprieve is not a waiv- uting companies (discoms) but discoms minister Nitin Gadkari noted the chal- er—and will, in fact, accrue additional continuing to pay power-generating lenges facing this sector. Referring to a interest, which means that borrowers companies will not work,” explains a se- meeting with Union finance minister nior ministry source. He also says that Nirmala Sitharaman and the heads of interventions to ease the pain are run- major banks, he said that credit outflow ning into “unforeseen difficulties”. For was discussed in detail. “It is true that I have a corpus of instance, the State Bank of India has banks [aren’t giving] loans easily,” he Rs 10,000 crore designed a new loan product to issue conceded, saying that his ministry was credit to existing borrowers. However, reviewing data of loans sanctioned at to guarantee the paperwork for this requires pay- the district level. In an address to Par- bank loans to ment of stamp duty, which is challeng- liament, he said the Government was MSMEs. In effect, ing, to say the least, during a lockdown. underwriting bank loans to SMEs up to This has held up the entire initiative. 75 per cent, and in some cases, even 100 banks can only Ministry sources say that they are per cent. “I have a corpus of Rs 10,000 ask for collateral also looking at other ways to address crore for these guarantees, so, in effect, on 25 per cent of the problems MSMEs face, such as banks can only ask for collateral on 25 through the Employees State Insur- per cent of the amount,” he said. the loan amount” ance Act, under which, if a worker is Gadkari also said that under —NITIN GADKARI on medical leave, the Employees State the government’s credit guarantee Union minister for MSMEs Insurance Corporation can be tapped scheme—launched in 2000 to provide to pay salaries. The corporation has a collateral-free credit, then with limited corpus of Rs 75,000 crore, which can be participation from the financial sector will end up paying additional EMIs utilised to meet the rising demand for and a total corpus of Rs 2,500 crore— if they avail of it. And some say the state support in paying wages. financial institutions across the board, provident fund waiver, while welcome, “Small is beautiful. Small is power- from scheduled commercial banks is not substantive relief. Businesses ful. Small is wonderful,” said Jack Ma, to NBFCs (non-banking financial also complain of soaring insurance founder of Alibaba, on the future trend companies) have been asked to extend premiums, saying that some payments of businesses, highlighting the need to credit to MSMEs. On a related note, the have increased by 200-300 per cent; support MSMEs. And there is much the RBI has also announced a three-month they have pleaded for the moratorium government can do—like relaxing NPA moratorium on loans, saying that all on interest payments to be extended to norms and getting banks to extend commercial, regional, rural NBFCs cover insurance companies as well. working capital loans, says Bhardwaj. and small finance banks were permit- Restoring pre-COVID levels of ted to allow three-month moratoriums MOVING FORWARD purchase could take six months or on payment of instalments for all term more. And until then, businesses and loan EMIs outstanding on March 31. Sources in the MSME ministry say that workers need to brace for drastic cuts To ease the flow of credit, the RBI officials are working on identifying the in demand, salaries and jobs. But with has also reduced repo rates by 75 basis problems on both generic and sector- speedy action, the government could points (0.75 per cent) and the reverse specific levels. For instance, some sec- significantly ease the damage. ■ repo rate by 90 basis points (0.9 per tors have had problems getting curfew —with inputs from M.G. Arun

54 INDIA TODAY APRIL 27, 2020 SMART EDUCATION

OUT OF THE BOX JOBS Novel opportunities for fresh graduates

Illustration by RAJ VERMA VIKRAM SHARMA VIKRAM LEADERS OF TOMORROW Graduates need to be go-getters SMART EDUCATION TRENDS

MANAGEMENT HOW TO INFLUENCE PEOPLE WINDOW ANANDORUP GHOSE Partner, Deloitte India, Delhi n addition to the typi- post COVID-19. While com- cal competencies—an panies looking to hire might analytical mindset, drive find these resources available Iand critical thinking—one in abundance in the talent TO THE key skill that has become a pipeline, on the other hand, a differentiator in the corpo- lot of organisations may want rate world is navigation. It’s a to restrict their expenditure combination of street smarts on trainee management. and the ability to influence FUTURE without authority. Digital and analytics skills also attract NAVIGATION significant pay premiums. IS CRITICAL—A What the top performing Advanced technology and en- COMBINATION sectors are looking for in fresh gineering skills relating to ar- OF STREET graduates—and what they offer tificial intelligence, machine SMARTS AND learning and the Internet THE ABILITY COMPILED BY SHELLY ANAND of Things have also become TO INFLUENCE AND MRINI DEVNANI critical for companies. At the WITHOUT same time, cost-conscious- AUTHORITY ness has taken centre stage

56 INDIA TODAY APRIL 27, 2020

RAJWANT RAWAT RAJWANT

SMART EDUCATION TRENDS

BY 2022, WE WILL MOVE TO CLOUD SERVICES WORLDWIDE. THERE WILL BE AN INCREASED NEED FOR DATA RESEARCHERS, APP DEVELOPERS, TECHNICAL SUPPORT ENGINEERS, ROBOTICS ENGINEERS AND ANALYTICAL EXPERTS

NUTS AND BOLTS Technical know-how is key to success in the field

ENGINEERING he current trend in the engi- intelligence-related jobs are being BUILDING neering sector is the emer- created. The industry has evolved T gence of functional areas such over the years from just being a A NEW WORLD as cloud services, data science, structural and business-oriented MONA BHARADWAJ blockchain, artiﬁcial intelligence model to a constantly changing Head of university and machine learning. It is projected landscape. Today, graduates need relations, IBM India, Bengaluru that by 2022, we will move to cloud to not only get themselves a degree services worldwide and there but also develop soft skills and will be an increased need for data technical knowhow to increase their researchers, application develop- chances of getting hired. That’s ers, technical support engineers, what we look for in candidates robotics engineers and analytical during our campus placements at experts. At workplaces, there are top engineering colleges like the two clear shifts that are drawing IITs and other institutes in Tier 1 the demand for new hires for fresh and Tier 2 cities. Graduates who roles. While there is a large-scale have problem-solving skills, critical decline in mundane roles across thinking abilities, a willingness to the sector, there is growth in new learn and can adapt well to changing products and services—artiﬁcial environments always top the list.

58 INDIA TODAY APRIL 27, 2020

SMART EDUCATION TRENDS CHANDRADEEP KUMAR THE INDUSTRY HAS A DEMAND FOR EMPLOYEES WITH SOFT SKILLS AND THE ABILITY TO INCORPORATE A MINDSET OF LIFELONG LEARNING, ACROSS VERTICALS

ICING ON THE CAKE The industry looks for team spirit while hiring

HOSPITALITY SETTING THE TABLE as well as the ability to incorporate a mindset of lifelong learning across DILIP PURI, founder and CEO, Indian School of Hospitality, Gurgaon verticals. Employers are looking for ﬂexible talent, those who can adapt to he growth of the hospitality sec- Those graduating with degrees in hotel different roles and situations easily. tor in India, like all other indus- management can expect to ﬁnd jobs in Communication skills, managing in- T tries across the globe, has been various roles across sectors, including terpersonal relationships, networking, severely disrupted by the COVID-19 restaurants, hotels and resorts, luxury good manners, sportsmanship, team crisis. However, the sector is well- lifestyle and retail and real estate, spirit and leadership are some of the placed to rebuild itself when the crisis to name a few. The industry has a abilities and skills that employers look eases because it is full of opportunities. demand for employees with soft skills, for in candidates.

MEDICINE obotics, telemedicine, ge- tions will be emergency and HEALING HANDS netic diagnosis and other internal medicine, obstetrics and SAVITHA KUTTAN R technology-driven in- gynaecology, radiology, paedi- CEO, Omnicuris, Bengaluru novations are currently the most atrics, general surgery, ortho- YASIR IQBAL promising trends in the ﬁeld of paedic surgery and cardiology. medicine. They can improve Problem-solving, attention to treatment outcomes, reduce the detail and decision-making are burden of non-communicable some of the skills needed. Since diseases and improve health- the ﬁeld is constantly evolving, care infrastructure. Some of the a major requirement is step- most sought-after specialisa- ping out of one’s comfort zone to unlearn and relearn things. Seminars, conferences and PATIENTS ARE continuing medical education BECOMING ACTIVE platforms can help doctors stay PARTICIPANTS up to date. Graduates should be IN HEALTHCARE able to work with people from all DECISIONS AND age groups and backgrounds, EXPECT CLEAR work well in a team and manage COMMUNICATION their time well. RESEARCH LED Knowledge of FROM THEIR the latest developments is essential DOCTORS

SMART EDUCATION TRENDS

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT Lawyers must know how to deal with clients in and out of court

LAW f you are a persuasive such as in acquisitions, problems. Mediators for LEGAL EAGLES speaker, an effective bankruptcy, arbitrations, dispute resolution are I listener and have an employment and labour. also in demand. At the GAURANG KANTH eye for detail, law might Security breaches, phish- same time, cyber secu- Managing Partner, be a rewarding career ing and data hacks are rity, data protection, in- Kanth & Associates, Delhi choice for you. The pro- on the rise and lawyers solvency and liquidation fession is all about facts will have a major role to could be new ﬁelds with and ﬁgures, research and play in addressing these emerging opportunities. awareness. In order to be It is important for those successful, your stepping studying law to have a stones would be writing THOSE client-centric approach ability and analytical WELL VERSED and a knowledge of skills and the ability WITH THE current developments in to develop long-term REGULAR local, national and global relationships with clients AMENDMENTS businesses. Those well- and colleagues. There IN LAW WILL versed with the regular are opportunities for HAVE AN amendments in law also graduates across sectors, ADVANTAGE have an advantage.

62 INDIA TODAY APRIL 27, 2020 FOCUS Galgotias University EDUCATION and students need to learn how to find the learning and Greater Noida thinking skills rather than the teacher offering it to them in a rigid structure.” Smart Education In We also believe every student is unique and every student needs different way of teaching and thrust requisite to Education 4.0 on different area and for this, we have adopted with Choice Based Credit System which give them minimum “We are amongst the few Universities in Asia who have adopted the mandate and opportunity to grow towards excelling International standards of Outcome Based Education, and also having all kinds in various domain like Artificial Intelligence(AI), Data of modern pedagogies like Flipped classroom Teaching, Project-based Learning, Science, IPR, and IOT, Industry 4.0, Electric Vehicle, Activity-based Learning, Case Studies methods and specially are tuned to Smart Farming, World-class Leader, Modern Healthcare Education 4.0” practitioner. Industry 4.0 is nothing but Smart says Suneel Galgotia, Chancellor, Galgotias University Industry, Smart City, Smart People through Creativity. We also believe everyone’s starting point might be same but needs choices, aspirations and ending point is different and for that extensive use of Digital Technology, Career counsellors, helping students to carve their goals and assisting them to achieve their goals is integral part of Galgotias culture. The courses available with the university with School of Medical and Allied Sciences MLT, CVT, Physiotherapy and Pharmacy are very much in demand in the Healthcare Industry. The current period of covid-19 has shown the world- importance and opportunities and demand of medical practitioners in the specialised healthcare domains. The school of hospitality ensures that the graduate shall be globally competent and acquire specialized knowledge in emerging technologies for creativity, SUNEEL GALGOTIA innovation and design of solutions in the various Chancellor, Galgotias University domain of hospitality and allied services School of Business ensures students are well prepared with business analytics, economics and leadership algotias University is now known as the curriculum is designed by leading industries and and managerial skills to emerge as ethical world class a diverse, interdisciplinary university professionals and is unique combination of knowledge, leaders and practitioners in such challenging times with innovative ecosystem of learning skills, behaviour and attitude. Logic building, critical post the pandemic. Gcomprising of distinguished faculty, thinking, mandatory industry internships – to The school of Law ensures that their graduates researchers and students. We believe in holistic experience live projects and hands on to know industry are enriched with comprehensive theoretical and development of its students and empowering environment and expectations, international exposer, practical knowledge in indigenous as well as foreign them to face the challenges of corporate exposer to cutting edge technology, emerging trends legal traditions, lawyering skills and research to meet world and become competitive professional through choice based credit system are some of the the contemporary challenges. It also prepares the of International standards. The graduates parameters which are taken care since induction and graduates to be lawyers of tomorrow for handling attributes like positive personality, critical ensured are being attained in each of the graduates. legal issues that are not only restricted to the national thinking, problem-solving approach, leading According to Dr. (Ms.) Preeti Bajaj, Vice Chancellor, boundaries, but also cutting across complex cross- by influence, agility and adaptability, initiative Galgotias University “When there are agencies to claim border transactions, by developing legal skills in core and entrepreneurialism, effective oral and that only certain percentage of students are employable, areas, such as Civil Laws, Criminal Laws, Corporate written communication, accessing and analyzing we claim that 100% of our graduates in every program Laws and IPR etc information, curiosity, imagination etc are few are not only employable but placed in all leading “Today students are required to be given smart of the qualities which we inculcate amongst corporates. Looking at the current age of competitiveness, education – the education which connects students in addition to strong base of knowledge we have retuned the educational paradigms and are with Technology, Employment, Creativity and fundamentals polishing with skills.These focusing on the areas that need rethinking. In today’s and Innovation. At Galgotias we ensure that skills are given to the students by exceptionally new world of fast changing technology, trends of being the students are prepared for the future and trained faculty who are the best at what they do. online 24 hours for work, fun for entertainment and embrace the challenges of the future post the University provides extensive computing resources and education, we believe that students need to be trained COVID pandemic by adapting to the digital laboratories for education and research. We ensure that and not taught. Information needs to be made accessible world,” says Dhruv Galgotia, CEO, Galgotias University SMART EDUCATION EXPERT VOICES

of people trumps individual brilliance in most situations.

HIRING HUB: We hire freshers through the different campus programmes that we have—management trainees from leading B-schools, graduate engineer trainees from engineering colleges, design trainees from the National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmed- abad, and the three NIFTs, optometrist trainees, diploma engineer trainees and graduate trainees. Lateral recruitment is minimal. Analytics, design, customer relationship management, sales and marketing and technology are some new job areas.

SHIRIN SALIS, VICE-PRESIDENT, HR, TRANE TECHNOLOGIES INDIA While there’s a strong focus on diversity and machine learning, attention will be given to attract talent with transferable skills, a ﬂexible workforce, as well as building and sharing missions. Most in demand will be expertise in technical areas such as cyber security, data science, deep learning along with design, project management, entrepreneurship and client interactions.

TALENT RUSH : SKILL SETS In interviews, hiring teams are looking for talent that can comple- Having a degree isn’t enough these days, ment the job profile and the company’s recruiters are looking for soft skills, an values. They need candidates with good communication skills so that they can analytical mind and a willingness to unlearn express their ideas, are articulate and can resolve conflicts with confidence. BY SHELLY ANAND Problem-solving skills, the ability to think neutrally and logically and a knack for coming up with quick, prag- iring in haste just leads to RAJ NARAYAN, CHIEF HUMAN matic solutions are pluses. Those who chaos and disorganisation, RESOURCES OFFICER, TITAN GROUP have high learning agility vis-a-vis new says Canadian businessman People should be themselves. If they technologies and domain areas have an H and Flickr co-founder Daniel put on an act, they will be found out. edge over others. Butterfield. Headhunters will agree— They must know their areas of expertise one wrong decision and an organisa- and think through how they will apply WHAT’S IN DEMAND: Amid rising costs tion might find itself being stuck with their knowledge in different situations. and competition, businesses are looking someone who is not the correct fit. at hiring a job-ready workforce that So, what do human resource (HR) TEAM SPIRIT: Freshers must have a comes equipped with emerging tech- professionals look for in freshers while positive, can-do attitude. Their views nologies and is willing to upgrade their hiring, and what are the new fields on life and career are important too. skills. Another focus area is a candi- where job prospects are the brightest? Working well in a group is key for us. In date’s ability to apply the right technol- Two experts weigh in on the subject. our organisation, the collective power ogy to solve given problems. ■

Illustration by SIDDHANT JUMDE

QA WHETTING HER APPETITE In her second innings as an entertainer, Neena Gupta says she is happy jumping platforms if the roles she gets oﬀered keep leaving her excited

Q. A new hairstyle, head massages from the husband, pretty hillside views. What else have you been up to during the lockdown? I am in my Mukteshwar home. I was supposed to be here for a week, but the lockdown means we are stuck here. All is well; we have a view of the mountains, a garden to ourselves and nobody around us. I am trying to write something with a writer through WhatsApp calls. But I have started missing Bombay, home and work. I try to stay happy by telling myself that this tough phase will pass.

Q. In the Amazon Prime show Panchayat, you play a sarpanch who has made peace with the fact that her husband will do her job. How did you see Manju Devi? She is a typical woman whose life revolves around her household, her husband and her daughter. She isn’t bothered if her husband is doing the duties of a pradhan. Then somebody says something that hits her hard and makes her think.

Q. Panchayat is your ﬁrst web series. What do you make of this fast- growing medium? I will jump at any good role on any platform. As it is, at my age, you get very few good roles. In such a scenario, whether it is a play, a TV show, web series or a short ﬁlm, I am very excited.

Q. A lot of old shows are being aired on Doordar- shan again. Is there one you would like to revisit? I would like Star to telecast Saans again. On DD Metro, I would love to watch my show Dard again. From Doordarshan, I hope we get to see Hum Log, Nukkad, Kora Kagaz, and Khandaan.

—with Suhani Singh

66 Volume XLV Number 17; For the week April 21-27, 2020, published on every Friday Total number of pages 68 (including cover pages)

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