New Delhi: Unplanned lock down will affect the very very poor to whom we cannot explain the budget deficits, said Nobel Laureate Abhijeet Banerjee.
Prime Minister had announced the lock down on March 23 for containing the pandemic. However, the unsystematic approach has affected several from the migrants to the poverty-stricken communities.
“There is no excuse for (the government) not spending the money on the poorest people,” said the Indian-American economist.
‘If you need this lock down to work, you need to give them (poor) money, otherwise they will just run out on streets. You can’t ask people to starve,” he said.
NDTV also conversed with Esther Duflo who said: “After two weeks if they (poor) are not able to get money, no police will be able to keep them home “
The lock down is necessary but it can only succeed if we are able to sustain people’s life,” said the Noble Laureate.