India Awash & Exposed: Covid 2.0

I am off work since last one and a half or two months. My entire family is diagnosed covid positive. I don’t fear for self but more for the kids and elderlies in the family. I don’t have money to buy medicines. Forget medicines, I don’t have money to even afford a basic nutrition to my family. I fear the worst!! Can you please help me with some money? I am neither asking nor wishing any big amount as I know time isn’t good for anyone. Any amount- 100, 200, 500 - will be of immense help. Please help me, if you can,” said the man, on a distress call past midnight, whom I know since last 5-6 years.  

He is not alone. 

For a country that has 95% of the workforce in informal sector, back to back waves of pandemic has been nothing less than cataclysmic. The wave has been nothing less than traumatic for billions of Indians since March 24th - 2020. The date on which the country was forced into complete lockdown and absolute shutdown. 

The air quality that improved for many, especially metro dwellers, during the first wave lockdown became an ephemeral story with the country gasping for oxygen with the onslaught of second wave a year later. The 24*7 news media was working two fold. On one one hand it was busy portraying the horrific impact of covid and on another showcasing the exposed status of our healthcare systems, systemic bodies, available infrastructure, and resource. What got lost, ignored or missed in those prime time debates was the fact that we lost not on above parameters but on preparedness. We were neither prepared before the second wave, nor during and only time will tell whether we will be in future. 

What really got exposed is brutal than the naked truth.

• Every unit of GDP growth in India damages the environment more and creates less employment opportunity & growth than other countries
• India’s growth pattern has been worst not only among the BRICS nation but also among its neighbouring countries
• The country ranks second last (179/180) and third last (120/122) for the quality of air and water that it provides to its citizens respectively

Going by the current time and statistics, India doesn’t seem to be doing well. Rather, it looks vulnerable at too many points. My one, two or three times monetary help to the man may help him in remaining afloat for some time and feed the hunger. But, will it be enough to save the family from long term starvation, I guess No. This vulnerability applies equally, may be exponentially in some cases, to the entire 95% workforce into informal sector. 

As a nation we shouldn’t forget that this 95% workforce aren’t jut resource but the source of nation’s growth. The source needs access to quality basic resources to be able to propel the economy and write next chapter of growth. Basic resources like pure air, clean water, and conducive environment.

We need not forget that there is an informal in formal as well. That means ease of living will create more opportunities for holistic growth than the ease of doing business. And, anyone willing to learn how easy is the ease of doing business should throw this question to the eleven percent of adult population in India engaged in “early-stage entrepreneurial activities”. 

The question is, are those entrepreneurs and startups more formal or informal in approach. Though, the answer doesn’t matter and wouldn’t matter as long as enough opportunities to earn gets created through startups. 

What should be India’s approach to rebound?

What should be India’s roadmap to growth?

What should be the areas of introspection?

And most importantly, what about +50 million Indians living Below Poverty Line? Is CSR & Taxes our only answer to all the question? 

I will post my answers to all these questions and more in the next post. However, a quick passing remark - Informal sector, like the country, isn’t only large but diverse as well. Policymakers needs the habit of listening to this diversity than presuming things have been listened. And, habit isn’t something that you do once in a week or month. It’s something you do everyday, day after day. 

In next post, also read about what kept team 366Pi Consulting and 366Pi Technologies occupied until now since onslaught of the first Covid wave. 

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