It has been three months that India has been in a lockdown mode after the Covid-19 pandemic struck the country. Along with the world, India, too, ceased all its activities and went into a complete shutdown. Offices, businesses, markets, schools, public transport, malls, multiplexes, restaurants, and many things were closed down. All this was done in view of controlling the spread of coronavirus among the people and keeping them safe. The lockdown, if not completely fruitful, was able to margin down the number of cases and spread of the disease on a massive scale. The lockdown made people prisoners in their own homes, and all outdoor activities were shut completely. It will be a period that people will not forget for their lifetime, and the stories will pass on for generations.
But now, after three months of lockdown and with no definite cure for the disease insight, the exercise to unlock India has begun. It is a risk along with compulsion. We all are aware of how the pandemic deflated the wheel of economic activities, not only in India but around the world. The global financial condition has taken a severe beating due to the unprecedented epidemic, which was infecting and killing people. With no other option of saving people’s lives, the lockdown was the only way via which the disease can be contained or, at least, stop its rapid transmission. However, the lockdown halted all the activities necessary for keeping the wheels of finance on rolls, whether it was for government and the common people. The modes of earnings stopped for many people in the lockdown, and the unemployment scale touched the sky. The industries, trade, import-export, and all the business activities that were needed to supply the money to the government treasury also went dry, which was creating monetary worries for the government. On the other hand, with loss of jobs or pay cuts for those who were still working, things were becoming difficult to manage, as many homes’ financial condition began to dwindle.
Nevertheless, it is not possible for continuing lockdown for an indefinite time, and after running lockdown in four phases, the time for unlocking India came on the anvil. Along with issuing some guidelines for the people and all business activities, the action of unlocking has already commenced, which will take place in phases. Certain relaxations are given in opening shops, transportation, and office operations so that normalcy can be resumed soon. Social distancing is, however, strictly imposed, and the number of staff in a workplace or people traveling in commute is restricted. Identifying infected zones and labeling them on the basis of their number of COVID cases will furthermore allow or disallow certain activities. In a way, the process to chug the financial express of India has begun and slowly transmitting more power into its locomotive.
However, it comes with a great risk since the pandemic has not yet come in complete control, neither in India nor elsewhere. The number of cases is still spiking up in many states of the country, which mainly includes Maharashtra, West Bengal, Delhi, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu. But it is also a fact that the need of the people has now toppled the fear of coronavirus since everyone needs a way of earning for survival. The same goes for the government and the administration too since they also need money to keep the things running. Apart from that, the financial packages can only be extended when there is any revenue generated from any source. Technically, people are stuck between death from disease versus death from hunger, and it is applicable for all the common masses of the country. Hence, unlocking India may not be a wise thing to do, but the only choice what people and government are left with.
