India's emergency aid package a timely one
But the US$22.5b kitty to provide food and cash to millions of the poorest may need a backup package if the country's lockdown is to be extended beyond 21 days.
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INDIA has launched a timely emergency package worth US$22.5 billion to provide food and cash to millions of its poorest workers who are bearing the brunt of the 21-day nationwide lockdown aimed at containing Covid-19 in the world's second most populous country.
Announced on March 26, the package gives some relief to migrant workers and daily-wage earners who are staging a mass exodus back to their villages because their workplaces in the cities have shut down - this large-scale move could take the virus into the rural areas.
Given the large numbers of poor Indians living in crowded, unsanitary conditions and the country's weak public health infrastructure, the health crisis is gargantuan in scope. Hence the relief package targets about 800 million people from the population of 1.3 billion who would receive free grain, cooking gas and cash transfers for three months from the start of the lockdown on March 25.
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