Letter to BS: Need imaginative measures to mitigate impact of coronavirus

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced the much-anticipated relief package of Rs 1.7 trillion to soften the blow of the coronavirus lockdown on the poor. It has several well meaning measures, though much would depend on how they are implemented to ensure that the relief reaches the intended beneficiaries. An insurance cover of Rs 50 lakh to the sanitation workers, including doctors is a motivational announcement for those serving the nation, braving the threat to their own lives.

But disappointingly, there is no announcement to stimulate the economy, or specific to the industries and banks. Bankers are “not heartless” but need