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After Deng Xiaoping launched his four modernizations drive in the 1970s related to agriculture, industry, defence and science and technology to extricate China from Mao Zedong’s personalized ideological straitjacket, a pro-democracy activist, Wei Jingsheng, put up a poster on the so-called “democracy wall” in Beijing, calling for the democratization of China. He called it the “fifth modernization”. According to him, “the only form of modernization worth having should bring democracy and freedom”. He was arrested and spent 18 years in jail before being deported to the US.

It is high time that central ministers and top bureaucrats stop meddling with commercial decisions of the management of their departmental undertakings, especially at this difficult time. In the past, such interferences have led to financial misery of many public sector undertakings (PSUs). The worst of them were two former national airlines — Indian Airlines and Air India — under the ministry of civil aviation. Most public representatives in the government holding ministerial portfolios are generalists and not management experts. The same is the case of bureaucrats. They would probably do well by refraining from giving unwarranted commercial advice to the management of departmental undertakings at this juncture when large PSEs are fully engaged in fighting coronavirus within their plants and establishments, employing thousands of people, and those living close to their factories, while running their operations. The government should also see that such advices are also not showered on PSU management by their departmental secretaries or top bureaucrats. The latter could give wrong signals.

Indian Railways have geared itself to fight surging COVID-19 (Coronavirus) in a big way. Accordingly, as directed by the Union Government in Ministry of Railways, all the 16 zonal railways have started modifying 3-tier sleeper coaches, on a war footing, to provide clean, hygienic, sanitized and comfortable quarantined beds for coronavirus patients to supplement growing requirements of quarantine facilities in joint public-private efforts to combat the pandemic. Modification of coaches is being accomplished in keeping with a prototype already built to the specifications of the medical standards and approved by the Government.

It is not the time to get worried by pondering over the economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. Rather, it would be more prudent to accept the reality and chart out a new economic and business strategy based on the possible outcomes of the pandemic. Without much ado, it can be said that world has entered into a recession and it may leap towards a depression stage too. Evidently businesses and nations will take corrective measures to safe guard its own interests keeping view of its short and medium term economic health. Long term strategy discussion is of no use as the corona disaster is emerging and evolving everyday making economic forecast next to impossible.

The government order of the lockdown for 21 days taken in panic as a part of its fight against the Corona virus spread to be pandemic has exposed three distinct layers in the Indian society. The 260 million strong middle class with assured economic comforts even without continued economic activities welcomed the announcement that clamped down not all economic activities but also closed means of movement for masses. The public transport system including air, rail, long distance trains, suburban rail and metro services and road transport was suspended for three weeks. It means all cabs; automobile and human drawn vehicles were put out of plying services. Nearly 20 million human who earn their daily incomes by carrying passengers through 5480 urban agglomerates and more than five lakh villages were put off from their daily earnings. This does not account for miseries of those who needed urgently transport services for emergency.

The Epidemics Disease Act, 1897

In response to the growing threat of the pandemic COVID-19, on March 11, 2020, the Cabinet advised all States and Union Territories (UTs) to invoke Section 2 of Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 (“the Act”). This was done in order to ensure that the advisories issued by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare or State or UTs are enforceable.

US President Donald Trump has promised to sign on a $2 trillion economic relief package for the US coronavirus hit. Americans are not very sure if the relief will reach intended beneficiaries, more likely fund-rich companies. Narendra Modi unveiled a Rs 1.7 lakh crore relief tranche for India’s poor; those with slippery jobs, meaning employment that is not counted as “jobs” by government edict. There’s little confidence whether the Rs 1.7 lakh crore will reach targeted individuals and families!

THURUVANANTHAPURAM: The first death due to Covid-19 in Kerala has been reported on Saturday.

Like many parts of the world our country too is grappling to prevent spread of Covid -19 to the third stage. This is a precarious situation wherein every step has to be taken cautiously with lot of precaution. The medical, paramedical staff and the safai karamcharis are at high risk. Several doctors and nurses have already lost their lives in China, Italy, Iran and Spain after they caught infection while caring for the sick.

There is a new star emerging on the post-coronavirus energy horizon, and that is the humble coal. The Covid-19 pandemic has shaken energy markets to the core, creating incredible volatility for fuel prices. But the one energy source that has not blinked is coal, which according to energy experts could come out stronger through the current crisis.