Fiscally expansive measures are essential right now to stabilize an economy in critical condition and secure livelihoods Long before the coronavirus surfaced as a pandemic, the Indian economy was in the midst of a serious downturn.
The complete lockdown starting 25 March has shut down most economic activities. The collateral damage is enormous. The following sectors, taken together, account for more than two-fifths of India’s gross domestic product (GDP): manufacturing (16.4%), mining (2.3%), construction (7.8%), trade, hotels & restaurants (11.8%), and transport (4.9%).
These have shut down almost entirely for 21 days, which alone will reduce GDP of the economy over 365 days by 2.5%. The loss in output would be even higher if the shutdown