In 2005, Singh went against the advice of his own finance ministry and decided to finance rural electrification.

The core issue of the state acting to generate demand as the lockdown eases will, however, not go away. It is increasingly likely that some sectoral relief packages will be required in the coming months.

An economic policy for this time has to be bold and enough to restore confidence and animal spirits in the entrepreneurs of the country. It has also to be generous.

While offering solutions and hope, Prem Shankar Jha’s book 'Dawn of the Solar Age: An End to Global Warming and to Fear' is a timely overview of the alarming consequences of global warming.