Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee has said that India should take a cue from the United States and put more money into the hands of people to revive demand in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent nationwide lockdown.

Benerjee was in conversation with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over video conferencing. The interaction was hosted over Periscope and Gandhi posted it on his Twitter account on Tuesday morning.

Here are the highlights from the Gandhi-Banerjee interaction:
If anyone wanted to believe in strongman theory, this is the time to disabuse themselves
We need to be aware of disease's path before taking decision on lifting lockdown
We should take a cue from US by pumping in more money in the hands of people to revive demand
We should try to be optimistic about overall economic revival in India post-lockdown
Aadhaar-based claims for PDS [public distribution system] would have saved a lot of misery for poor; a bunch of the poor are still not in the system
Give temporary ration cards to everybody; use those for transferring money, wheat and rice to them
It is important to revive demand, nothing bad will happen if we give bottom 60 percent with more money
India needs a stimulus package; we have not dedicated on large enough financial package yet
Gandhi: States should be given options; should be allowed to decide themselves on lockdown

Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee has said that India should take a cue from the United States and put more money into the hands of people to revive demand in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent nationwide lockdown.

Benerjee was in conversation with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over video conferencing. The interaction was hosted over Periscope and Gandhi posted it on his Twitter account on Tuesday morning.

Here are the highlights from the Gandhi-Banerjee interaction:
If anyone wanted to believe in strongman theory, this is the time to disabuse themselves
We need to be aware of disease's path before taking decision on lifting lockdown
We should take a cue from US by pumping in more money in the hands of people to revive demand
We should try to be optimistic about overall economic revival in India post-lockdown
Aadhaar-based claims for PDS [public distribution system] would have saved a lot of misery for poor; a bunch of the poor are still not in the system
Give temporary ration cards to everybody; use those for transferring money, wheat and rice to them
It is important to revive demand, nothing bad will happen if we give bottom 60 percent with more money
India needs a stimulus package; we have not dedicated on large enough financial package yet
Gandhi: States should be given options; should be allowed to decide themselves on lockdown