Policy Watch: COVID SPECIAL – July 2020

Two entwined challenges that continue to prevail during the COVID pandemic are related to governance and the economy. Normally, the Policy Watch theme for this month is Governance and Development, and for the next month would be Growth with Employment. However, we decided that both the July and August issues will cover both themes.

This issue begins with a vision piece by Ela Bhatt and Kaushik Basu, reproduced from The Indian Express. They remind us not to lose sight of whom economic and political policies are made for, and point to Constitutional values as indispensable ingredients of policymaking. I have been fortunate to work with Elaben on developing the idea of building an economy of nurturance over the last few years, and she sent me a message that the COVID pandemic makes this an imperative now.

The first article is by Dr. Amir Ullah Khan, Senior Visiting Fellow, RGICS, on labor laws in light of recent changes in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. He argues that while labor law reform has been a long-standing agenda in economic reforms, the approach, substance, and timing of recent changes may not be appropriate or sufficient to attract investors—and could even be counterproductive.

The next article is by Mr. Navin T. from the Institute of Livelihood Research and Training, Hyderabad. While highlighting the schism between the state and migrant populations during the pandemic, he provides concrete recommendations for making urban policy more inclusive for migrant workers.

The third article, by Mr. Yuvraj Kalia, Fellow, RGICS, is a brief on navigating the uncertainty surrounding school education in India during the pandemic. He emphasizes that while reliance on technology is unavoidable, so is the role of teachers and schools. The article is based on an online panel discussion titled *”The Likely and Desirable Future of School Education in the Times of COVID-19,”* conducted by RGICS in June 2020. A recording of the webinar is available on the RGICS website: www.rgics.org.

The next two articles present the situation of different segments of the population during COVID-19:

1. The first highlights key observations and recommendations from a recent study by the All India Artisans and Craftworkers Welfare Association (AIACA), which reports large-scale order cancellations, halted production, non-payment of wages, and lack of access to working capital and raw materials.

2. The second is a policy brief on the impact of COVID-19 on women by the Population Foundation of India (PFI). Based on two recent studies, the brief addresses issues such as violence against women and girls, mental health, and access to sexual and reproductive health services during the pandemic.