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Section 1 INTRODUCTION Context: The unprecedented crisis Global Socio-Economic impact of COVID 19, as reported by UN COVID – 19 in India 4 4 6 6

Section 2 STUDY OBJECTIVES AND METHODOLOGY Section 3 MAJOR VULNERABILITIES DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC Immediate Impacts of Lock Down in India: Few statistics Challenges in front of the Government 8 10 11 12

Section 4 POLICY MEASURES BY INDIA GOVERNMENT AT DIFFERENT LEVELS

Interventions at the central government and State Government level

I) Policy Interventions at Central levels II) Interventions by State Governments in the Study States III) Important Advisories/Circulars at Central and State levels Section 5 ASSESSING GOVERNMENT’S RESPONSES: WHAT WENT WRONG? Unprepared decision on lock down and Haphazard travel restrictions Miniscule relief package for the hardest hit sections of population Inadequate stimulus package for MSME and Farmers Insufficient investment in health system, shortage of emergency supplies and delays in domestic production of testing kits Insufficient stimulus package for economic revival Caste, class and gender bias of policy responses 14 15 15 22 33 40 40 41 42 43

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Section 6 POLICY MEASURES BY FEW OTHER COUNTRIES: A SHORT OVERVIEW Policy Measures taken in Selected Countries- A brief 46 47

Increased social assistance to support vulnerable section of population

49 Pro-poor measures providing direct benefits in terms of food and in-kind support 50 Work-life balance to boost productivity and rebuild economy 50 Measures for robust health care system 51 International strategies to invoke Digital Technologies in the public-health responses 51 International solidarity to fight against Pandemic 52 Responses by United Nations System 52 Section 7 WHAT MEASURES INDIA NEEDS TO HANDLE FUTURE PANDEMIC: FEW

RECOMMENDATIONS

54 Comprehensive strengthening of public health system and stepping up of investment in public health 54 Reviving Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA) and promotion of monthly basic income support 55 Shielding poor by taxing rich 56 Provision of food security through universalization of PDS and designing of safety-net schemes 57 Budget for NREGA not to be reduced 59