The COVID-19 PANDEMIC

1
The COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Introduction -
Coronaviruses are human and animal

pathogens. At the end of 2019, a novel
coronavirus was identified as the cause of
a cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan, a
city in the Hubei Province of China. It
rapidly spread, resulting in an epidemic
throughout China, followed by an
increasing number of cases in other
countries throughout the world. In
February 2020, the World Health
Organization designated the disease
COVID-19 PANDEMIC .
Assignment Of Production And Operation Management - Akash Bawariya GGITS SECTION A

2
THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN

INDIA
India is part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus

disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute
respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The
first case of COVID-19 in India, which originated from
China, was reported on 30 January 2020. As of 7 June
2020, the MoH&FW has confirmed a total of 246,628
cases, 119,293 recoveries (including 1 migration) and
6,929 deaths in the country.[5] India currently has the
largest number of confirmed cases in Asia,[8] with the
number of total confirmed cases breaching the 100,000
mark on 19 May and 200,000 on 3 June.[9][10] India's
case fatality rate is relatively lower at 2.80%, against the
global 6.13%, as of 3 June.[10] Six cities account for
around half of all reported cases in the country – Mumbai,
Delhi, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Pune and Kolkata.[11] As of

3
24 May 2020, Lakshadweep is the only region which has

not reported a case.
On 22 March, India observed a 14-hour voluntary public

curfew at the instance of the prime minister Narendra
Modi. It was followed by mandatory lockdowns in
COVID-19 hotspots and all major cities. Further, on 24
March, the Prime Minister ordered a nationwide
lockdown for 21 days, affecting the entire 1.3 billion
population of India. On 14 April, the PM extended the
nationwide lockdown till 3 May which was followed by
two-week extensions starting 3 and 17 May with
substantial relaxations. Beginning 1 June the Government
has started unlocking the country (barring containment
zones) in three unlock
phases.[12][13][14][15][16][17][18]
The United Nations (UN) and the World Health

Organization (WHO) have praised India's response to the
pandemic as 'Comprehensive and robust,' terming the
Lockdown restrictions as aggressive but vital for
containing the spread and building necessary healthcare
infrastructure. The Oxford COVID-19 Government

4
Response Tracker (OxCGRT) noted the government's

swift and stringent actions, emergency policy making,
emergency investment in healthcare, fiscal stimulus,
investment in vaccine and drug R&D. It gave India a
score of 100 for its strict response. Michael Ryan, chief
executive director of the WHO's health emergencies
programme noted that India had tremendous capacity to
deal with the outbreak owing to its vast experience in
eradicating smallpox and polio. Other commentators have
also raised concerns about the economic fallout arising as
a result of the pandemic and preventive restrictions.

5
What’s the impact on business?

Where a stringent policy response is deemed necessary,
business will inevitably be impacted, with both near-term
effects and less-expected longer-run consequences.

6
Travel restrictions and quarantines affecting hundreds of

millions of people have left Chinese factories short of
labour and parts, disrupting just-in-time supply chains and
triggering sales warnings across technology, automotive,
consumer goods, pharmaceutical and other industries.
Commodity prices have declined in response to a fall in
China’s consumption of raw materials, and producers are
considering cutting output.
The mobility and work disruptions have led to marked

declines in Chinese consumption, squeezing multinational
companies in several sectors including aviation, education
abroad, infrastructure, tourism, entertainment, hospitality,
electronics, consumer and luxury goods.
Overall, China’s GDP growth may slow by 0.5 percentage
points this year, taking at least 0.1 percentage point off
global GDP growth. This will ripple through developed
and emerging markets with high dependencies on China –
be that in the form of trade, tourism or investment. Some
of these countries exhibit pre-existing economic
fragilities, others (acknowledging an overlap) have weak
health systems and thus lower resilience to pandemics.
Many Asian and African countries lack surveillance,

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diagnostic, and hospital capacities to identify, isolate, and

treat patients during an outbreak. Weak systems anywhere
are a risk to health security everywhere, increasing the
possibility of contagion and the resulting social and
economic consequences.
Government responses –
The outbreak has been declared an epidemic in more than

a dozen states and union territories, where provisions of
the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 have been invoked,
leading to the temporary closure of educational and
commercial establishments. All tourist visas have been
suspended, as a majority of the confirmed cases were
mainly imports.[38]
January–February -
Protective measures were first applied in January. India

began thermal screening of passengers arriving from
China on 21 January.[39] Initially carried out at seven

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airports, it was expanded to 20 airports towards the end of

January.[40] During February, the screening was
extended to passengers from Thailand, Singapore, Hong
Kong, Japan and South Korea.[41] Nepal, Vietnam,
Indonesia and Malaysia were added to the list towards the
end of February.[42] Very few new cases were discovered
during February, The Indian Council of Medical Research
(ICMR) admitted that airport screening alone was
insufficient.[43]
March -
Awareness poster released by the Ministry of Health and

Family Welfare
By early to mid-March, the government had drawn up
plans to deal with a worsening of the pandemic in the
country. This included seven ministries working together
to set up additional quarantine and treatment facilities
across the country. States and twenty ministries, including
Home, Defence, Railways, Labour, Minority Affairs,
Aviation and Tourism, were informed of the containment
plan.[44] Plans to avoid a panic-like situation were also
made. The Ministry of Textiles was to ensure the

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availability of protective and medical materials. The

Department of Pharmaceuticals was to ensure the
availability of essential medicines. The Ministry of
Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution was
asked to ensure availability of essentials.[45]
On 17 March, the Government of India issued an

advisory, urging to all Indian states to take social
distancing measures as a preventive strategy for
implementation till 31 March.[46] A government
directive was issued asking all Central Armed Police
Forces to get into battle mode; all non-essential leave was
cancelled.[47][48] A COVID-19 Economic Response
Task Force was also formed.[49][50]
Union and state governments set up national and state

helpline numbers.[51]
April -
Major Indian cities and many states made wearing facial

masks compulsory.[52]

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On 29 April, The Ministry of Home Affairs issued

guidelines for the states to allow inter-state movement of
the stranded persons. States have been asked to designate
nodal authorities and form protocols to receive and send
such persons. States have also been asked to screen the
people, quarantine them and to do periodic health
checkups.[53]
Travel and entry restrictions -
On 3 March 2020, the Indian government stopped issuing

of new visas. Previously issued visas for the nationals of
Italy, Iran, South Korea, and Japan were suspended.[54]
All visas were suspended on 13 March, except for

diplomatic and other official visas, as well as the visa-free
travel for Overseas Citizens of India. Indians returning
from COVID-affected countries were asked to be
quarantined for 14 days.[38][55] These measures were
expanded to citizens from Europe, Gulf countries and
Asian countries including Malaysia on 17–18
March.[56][57]

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The land border with Myanmar began to be restricted on 9

March with the initiative of the state governments of
Mizoram and Manipur.[58][59] On 13 March, the
Government of India closed passenger traffic from all
neighbouring countries other than Pakistan.[60] The
traffic from Pakistan itself was closed on 16 March.[61]
Travel and registration for Sri Kartarpur Sahib was also
suspended on this date.[62]
Screening -
On 4 March 2020, the Minister of Health and Family

Welfare, Harsh Vardhan, announced compulsory
screening of all international passengers arriving in India.
He also stated that as of then, 589,000 people had been
screened at airports, over one million screened at borders
with Nepal and around 27,000 were under community
surveillance.[63][64]

12
Closedown and curfews -
Over the month of March, multiple states across the

country began shutting down schools, colleges, public
facilities such as malls, gyms, cinema halls and other
public places to contain the spread.
On 15 March, Ministry of Culture closed all monuments

and museums under Archaeological Survey of India.[65]
On 23 March, Chief Minister of Maharashtra ordered a
statewide curfew and closure of state borders.[66]
Lockdown -
Main article: COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in India
Empty roads during the lockdown in Vadodara, Gujarat

On 22 March, the Government of India announced
complete lockdown in 82 districts in 22 states and Union
Territories of country where confirmed cases were

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reported.[67]80 cities including Delhi, Bengaluru,

Chennai, Mumbai,[68] Chandigarh[69] and Kolkata were
put under lockdown.[70]Some states sealed their borders
barring inter-state movement.[71]
On 24 March, PM Narendra Modi announced a complete

21-day national lockdown to contain the pandemic.[72]By
6 April, the doubling rate had slowed to six days from
earlier figure of three days.[73]
After his consultation with CMs and administrators of

states and UTs on 11 April, PM Narendra Modi
announced lockdown extension till 3 May in his address
to nation on 14 April, with conditional relaxations in areas
with lower spread from 20 April.[16][74]
On 1 May, the Government of India extended nationwide

lockdown further by two weeks until 17 May.[17] On 17
May, NDMA extended the lockdown till 31 May in all
indian states.[18]
On 30 May, the MHA announced that the ongoing

lockdown would be further extended till 30 June in

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containment zones, with services resuming in a phased

manner, starting from 8 June, in other zones. It is termed
as "Unlock 1" and is stated to "have an economic
focus".[75]
Zonal classification -
The Government Divided the entire nation into three

zones – Green Zone, Red Zone, Orange Zone, relaxation
will be allowed accordingly.[76][77][78]
Red zone (Hotspots) – districts with high doubling rate

and high number of active cases
Orange zone (Non-hotspots) – districts with fewer cases
Green zone – districts without confirmed cases or without
new cases in last 21 days
Communication and Economic stimulus
'Prepare, but don't panic' has been India's guiding mantra
in dealing with the virus outbreak. Our region has
reported less than 150 coronavirus cases, but we need to
remain vigilant. Step-by-step approach helped avoid

15
panic, made special efforts to reach out to vulnerable

groups.
– Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the video
conference with SAARC nations, 15 March 2020.[79]
File:PM Modi’s address to the nation on Corona
Virus.webmPlay media
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's televised address
about Coronavirus on 19 March 2020
File:PM Modi's address to the nation on vital aspects
relating to COVID-19 menace.webmPlay media
Modi's address about COVID-19 on 24 March 2020
On 19 March, during a 30-minute live telecast, Indian
Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked all citizens to
observe a 'Janata Curfew' (people's curfew) from 7 am to
9 pm on 22 March. During this curfew he asked everyone,
except those involved in essential services, to stay at
home. He also asked people to avoid routine checkups
and elective surgeries to reduce the burden on the health
system. He announced the formation of a COVID-19
Economic Response Task Force. To acknowledge the
work being done by various sectors during the outbreak,
he urged people to gather in front of their own doors,
windows or balconies at 5 pm and applaud them for five

16
minutes. State and local authorities were told to blow the

siren to remind people about the same.[80] On 24 March,
Modi announced a nationwide lockdown from midnight
of that day, for a period of 21 days.[81] He also
announced a ₹150 billion (US$2.1 billion) aid for the
healthcare sector. This money would be used for
developing testing facilities, PPEs, ICUs, Ventilators and
for training medical workers.[82] On 3 April, PM Modi
addressed the nation to turn off the lights for nine minutes
and lighting the candles on 5 April.[83]
In an address on 14 April, PM Modi asked the citizens to

follow seven steps to help in the fight against coronavirus,
"Use homemade masks, Take care of elderly people,
Protect jobs, Help the poor and needy, follow the
guidelines set by Ministry of AYUSH to improve
immunity and download the Aarogya Setu app to track
your health."[84]
In a live telecast on 12 May, PM Modi announced an

economic package of ₹20 trillion (US$280 billion) for
'Atma Nirbhar Bharat' (self reliant India).[85] The
economic package is nearly 10% of the GDP. He added

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that Special economic package was for labourers, farmers,

honest tax payers, MSMEs and cottage industries[86]
Modi added that the five main pillars India stands on are –
economy, infrastructure, governing systems, vibrant
democracy and supply chain.[87]
Legal announcements -
See also: Essential Services Maintenance Act and

Essential Commodities Act
On 11 March 2020, the Cabinet Secretary of India, Rajiv
Gauba, announced that all states and UTs should invoke
provisions of Section 2 of the Epidemic Diseases Act,
1897.[88][89]
On 14 March, the union government declared the

pandemic as a "notified disaster" under the Disaster
Management Act, 2005, enabling states to spend a larger
part of funds from the State Disaster Response Fund to
fight the virus.[90][91]
Evacuations -

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Main article: Evacuations by India related to the

COVID-19 pandemic
The Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai

visiting evacuees at the Coronavirus Quarantine Centre,
after completion of their requisite quarantine period, at the
ITBP Chhawla Centre, in New Delhi on 13 March 2020.
The Ministry of External Affairs under Minister
Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Air India,the Indian Air Force
and the Indian Navy have been successful in evacuating
many Indian nationals and certain foreign nationals from
the virus-affected areas.[92][93][94]
The Government of India began a mega evacuation of

distressed Indian citizens from across the globe called
"Vande Bharat Mission" in early May. It deployed several
commercial jets, military transport planes and naval
warships in what is set to be one of the biggest-ever
peacetime repatriation exercise in history. In the first
phase, around 14,800 citizens stranded in 13 countries
would be brought back by 64 flights.[95][96][97]

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Ministry of Civil Aviation in coordination with the

Ministry of External Affairs planned phase two of the
Vande Bharat Mission to bring Indian citizens from
nearly 31 countries around the world for which 149
flights will be deployed.[98]
Legal actions -
On 16 March, the father of a woman, whose husband had

tested positive for coronavirus in Bengaluru, was booked
by Agra police for allegedly misleading authorities about
the whereabouts of his daughter, who was a suspected
patient.[99] Lucknow police lodged an FIR against
Bollywood singer, Kanika Kapoor for alleged negligence
in compliance of necessary directives post her return from
London.[100] On 21 March, a chemist was booked for
allegedly selling N95 masks at over four times higher
than the fixed price in Himachal Pradesh's Kangra
district.[101] A case was registered against a Coca-Cola
plant in Himachal Pradesh for operating in violation of
lockdown order.[102] Hyderabad traffic police seized
2,480 vehicles for violating the lockdown.[103] On 26

20
March, Delhi police arrested a 40-year-old man and

seized his scooty for allegedly calling a northeastern
woman "coronavirus" and spitting paan at her.[104] On
27 March, an Infosys employee from Bengaluru was
arrested for his social media post that encouraged people
to venture out and spread the virus.[105]
State government response -
Main article: Indian local government response to the

COVID-19 pandemic
State governments took various measures to contain the
spread of the virus.
International relations -
On 26 February, India sent 15 tons of masks, gloves and

other emergency medical equipment by an Indian Air
Force jet to China. The medical supplies sent to China
include one hundred thousand masks, five hundred

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thousand pairs of gloves, 75 infusion pumps, and 30

internal feeding pumps.[106]
On 13 March, PM Narendra Modi proposed that SAARC

nations jointly fight the pandemic, an idea that was
welcomed by the leaders of Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka,
Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.[107] On 15 March,
after a video conference of SAARC leaders,[79] he
allocated ₹74 crore (US$10 million) of funds classified as
COVID-19 Emergency Fund for the SAARC
countries.[79]
On 4 April, the Government of India banned the export of

hydroxychloroquine "without any exception", in order to
stockpile supplies for domestic use.[108] The United
States, which imports half its supply of the drug from
India and expects to use it for treating COVID-19
patients, grew concerned. The US President Donald
Trump called Prime Minister Modi the next day, and
hinted at possible retaliation in a press conference. India
agreed to allow its export on "humanitarian
grounds".[109] Apart from the US, India had outstanding
orders for hydroxychloroquine from some 30 countries,

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including Brazil, Spain, France, UK, Germany, Australia,

the Gulf countries and the SAARC neighbours. The
decision to partially lift the ban preceded President
Trump's comment on possible retaliation.[110]
On 11 April, India sent a team of 15 doctors and health

care professionals to Kuwait to assist in its fight against
coronavirus, following a telephone conversion between
prime minister Modi and the Kuwaiti prime minister
Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah. Kuwait was facing 1,154
COVID-19 cases at this time.[111][112]
On 16 April, India is sending 85 million

hydroxychloroquine tablets and 500 million paracetamol
tablets to 108 countries.In addition, 1 thousand tons of
mixture have also been sent to make paracetamol
tablets.[113]
On 10 May the Indian government sent Naval ship INS

Kesari carrying medical teams, essential medicines and
food items to the Maldives, Mauritius, Madagascar,
Comoros and Seychelles following separate requests for
help in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.[114][115]

23
Aarogya Setu -
Main article: Aarogya Setu

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
launched a smart phone application called Aarogya Setu
to help in "contact tracing and containing the spread" of
COVID-19 pandemic in the nation. The World Bank
lauded the early deployment of such technology to
combat the pandemic. Amid growing privacy and security
concerns, the government released the source code of the
app, making it open-source on 26 May. The Government
has promoted voluntary adoption of the app in its
guidelines and standard operating
procedures.[116][117][118]
Economic package -
On 12 May, the Prime Minister, in an address to the

nation, said that the coronavirus crisis should be seen as
an opportunity, laying emphasis on domestic products and
"economic self-reliance", creation of an Atmanirbhar

24
Bharat (transl. Self-reliant India) through Atmanirbhar

Bharat Abhiyan (transl. Self-reliant India Mission). He
announced a 20 trillion rupees stimulus package,
equivalent to 10% of India's GDP, which was laid out in
detail by the Finance Minister in a series of
tranches.[119][120]
Impact
Commercial establishments -
On 19 March, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal

announced the closure of all restaurants in the capital by
31 March in view of the ever increasing case of
coronavirus. He said that there will be a ban on eating in
restaurants but food delivery will continue. He also said
that 20 or more people will not be allowed to unite
anywhere in the state.[201] On 20 March, in Lucknow all
restaurants, hotels, sweet shops have been closed till 31
March.[202]

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On 20 March, Delhi government announced that all malls

in Delhi will close with only vegetable, grocery and
medicine shops remaining open.[203][204] Shops in
Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur will remain closed till 31
March.[205][206] During this period, the essential
services will continue. Medical services will be
available.[207]
On 22 March, Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh has

said that in view of coronavirus, the state has ordered
lockdown till 31 March. All essential government services
will continue and shops for essential goods such as food,
medicines etc. will remain open.[208][209] The chief
minister of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot said public vehicle
will be banned till 31 March, along with all the malls and
shops will remain closed.[210][211]
Education -
On 16 March, the union government declared a
countrywide lock-down of schools and colleges.[212] On
18 March, CBSE released revised guidelines for
examination centres.[213][214] This includes maintaining
a distance of at least 1 meter between the students taking

26
the exam with a class not having more than 24 students. If

the rooms of the examination centres are small, divide the
students and make them sit in different rooms. On 19
March, CBSE and JEE main examinations were
postponed till 31 March.[215][216]
On 20 March, Maharashtra government cancelled

examinations for class 1 to 8 and promoted the students to
the next classes, whereas examinations for class 9 and 11
were postponed till 15 April.[217] Madhya Pradesh Board
of Secondary Education postponed board exams for class
10 and 12 and asked school principals to promote or
detain students of class 5 to 8 based on their performance
in previous terms.[218] Board exams of class 10 and 12
were postponed in Kerala.[219] Assam government
cancelled all exams till 31 March.[220] The Union Public
Service Commission also postponed the interview for the
Civil Services Examination 2019 to be held from 23
March to 3 April.[221] The SSC exams in Tamil Nadu
and Puducherry were postponed to 15 April.[222]
Economy -

27
Main article: Economic impact of the COVID-19

pandemic in India
See also: Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
A newspaper vendor in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu

wearing goggles, safety mask and hand gloves.
On 2 March, the BSE SENSEX witnessed a flash crash on
the back of Union Health Ministry's announcement of two
new confirmed cases.[223] A UN report estimated a trade
impact of US$348 million on India due to the outbreak,
making India one of the 15 worst affected economies
across the world.[224] Asian Development Bank
estimated that the outbreak could cause losses of up to
US$29.9 billion to India's economy.[225] On 9 March,
The BSE SENSEX closed 1,942 points lower at 35,635
while the NSE NIFTY 50 was down by 538 points to
10,451.[226]
Indices: S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) 500 (1

January 2015 to 9 May 2020)

28
On 12 March, Indian stock markets suffered their worst

crash since June 2017 after WHO's declaration of the
outbreak as a pandemic. The BSE SENSEX dropped 8.18
per cent or 2,919 points which was its lowest in 23
months while the NIFTY dropped 9 per cent or 950
points.[227]
The Indian Space Research Organisation's GISAT-1

mission onboard GSLV which was scheduled for its
launch in April was postponed due to the lockdown.[228]
On 1 April, the coal mining operations of Singareni

Collieries Company in Telangana were halted due to the
threat of the COVID-19 pandemic.[229]
Entertainment -
See also: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cinema

The International Indian Film Academy Awards, planned
to take place on 27 March, was canceled.[230] Cinema
halls were shut down by most state governments. Film
bodies decided to stop the production of films, TV shows

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and web series till 31 March.[231] On 25 March, all video

streaming services, jointly decided to offer only SD
quality content on cellular networks. They also decided to
lower the resolution to 480p to lower the stress on
telecom networks throughout the 21-day lockdown during
which there would be an unprecedented surge in mobile
internet consumption since people were confined to their
homes.[232] The Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF)
said that four major broadcasting networks in the country
have decided to waive all fees for four channels for two
months. The IBF is an organisation promoting the Indian
television industry. In a statement, the foundation said
that Sony Pal, run by Sony, Star Utsav, run by Star India,
Viacom18's Colors Rishtey run by colors and Zee Anmol
run by Zee TV will be available for two months free to all
viewers in the country. This offer is for all DTH and cable
networks.[233]
Events -
See also: List of events affected by the COVID-19

pandemic

30
Since 7 March, the BSF has decided to conduct

Wagah-Attari border ceremony without any
spectators.[234] Padma Awards ceremony, scheduled for
3 April, stands postponed.[235]
Historical buildings
On 17 March, it was announced that all the historic
buildings in the country would remain closed till 31
March. According to Union Tourism Minister Prahlad
Patel, the Taj Mahal, Red Fort and Qutub Minar and all
the National Monuments and Museums under the
Archaeological Department of India will remain closed
till 31 March.[236] The Statue of Unity will be closed to
visitors till 25 March.[237][238]
Religion -
Main article: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on

religion
File:20200402 - The Times of India - COVID-19
lockdown - Ram Temple in Bhubaneswar wears a
deserted look on Ram Navami.webmPlay media

31
Temple Ram Mandir in the heart of Bhubaneswar.

During the lockdown, many religious institutions started
live-streaming to help devotees worship from home.[239]
However, many revered temples and shrines, which

attracted lakhs of devotees, started imposing entry
restrictions as the infection rates increased. Siddhivinayak
Temple, Mumbai,[240] Vaishno Devi,[241] Ganga Ghat
(Varanasi),[242] Har Ki Pauri,[243] Jagannath Temple,
Puri,[244] Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala,[245] and the
Ramanathaswamy Temple[246] were closed to devotees
even before the national lockdown. Similarly, on 26
March, the Makkah Masjid, Hyderabad, was closed to
devotees.[247] Many Christian churches suspended
in-person mass and offered worship for their congregants
through livestreaming, radio and television.[248]
The Government announced the opening of religious

places beginning 8 June under "Unlock 1" and also
released detailed guidelines for subsequent operations on
4 June.[249]
Sports -
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See also: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports

The 2020 ISSF World Cup, which was to commence on
15 March in New Delhi, was postponed.[250] The Indian
Open badminton tournament which was scheduled to be
held in New Delhi from 24 to 29 March was suspended
until 12 April.[251]
India's FIFA World Cup qualification match on 26 March

against Qatar in Bhubaneswar was postponed.[252] The
All India Football Federation suspended all matches of
I-League and I-League 2nd Division from 15 March.[253]
On 14 March, the 2020 Indian Super League Final was
played behind closed doors.[254][255]
On 13 March, the Board of Control for Cricket in India

announced that the opening of 2020 Indian Premier
League was postponed from 29 March to 15 April. On 16
April, BCCI suspended the tournament indefinitely due to
the pandemic.[256][257]
On 13 March, BCCI cancelled the ODI matches between

India and South Africa on 15 and 18 March, which were

33
originally announced to be played without

spectators.[258]
TCS World 10 Bengaluru, the IAAF Gold Label Road

Race scheduled to be held on 17 May was postponed to
13 September.[259]
Transport
Flights -
IndiGo cancelled its Delhi-Istanbul and Chennai - Kuala

Lumpur flights starting 18 March to prevent international
travel from Turkey and Malaysia.[260] This ban will
continue till 31 March.[261] On 17 March 2020, Go Air
suspended its international flights till further notice.[262]
On 19 March, the Government of India announced that no
international flights will be allowed to land in India from
22 March.[263] On 23 March, the union government
announced the suspension of all domestic flights in the
country starting 25 March.[264]

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Railways -
On 14 March, Western and Central Railways removed

curtains and blankets from AC coaches.[265] On 17
March, Western Railways hiked platform ticket charges
from Rs. 10 to Rs. 50 across 250 stations.[266] Central
Railways cancelled 23 trains.[267] On 19 March, Tejas
Express running between Lucknow Junction to New
Delhi and Varanasi to Indore will remain canceled till 31
March.[268] On 20 March, Delhi Metro was scheduled to
remain closed on 22 March due to Janata Curfew.[269]
On 22 March, metro services across India were suspended
till 31 March.[270] On 21 March, in view of Janata
curfew, Indian Railways announced the cancellation of
3,700 trains across the country.[271][272] On 22 March,
the union government cancelled all train services in the
country baring goods trains, that is around 12,500 trains,
and all non-essential passenger transport including
interstate transport buses.[273] IRCTC suspended the

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bookings for 3 private trains till 30 April.[274] After the

Prime Minister Modi extended the nationwide lockdown
till 3 May. the Indian Railways not only extended the
suspension of all its passenger trains during the period but
also suspended all ticket bookings till further notice.[275]
On 8 May, the Aurangabad railway accident occurred due

to confusion related to the pandemic.[citation needed]
Road -
On 19 March, bus services between the cities of

Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh have been postponed
from 21 to 31 March 2020.[276][277] Punjab government
imposed a ban on public transport including buses, auto
rickshaws and tempos from 21 March.[278] Public
transport including buses, mini buses, maxi cabs and auto
services were banned in Srinagar.[279]
Exodus of migrant workers -

36
Main article: Indian migrant workers during the

COVID-19 pandemic
With factories and workplaces shut down, many migrant
workers were left with no livelihood.[280] They thus
decided to walk hundreds of kilometres to go back to their
native villages, accompanied by their families in many
cases.[281][282] The central government then announced
that it had asked state governments to set up immediate
relief camps for the migrant workers returning to their
native states,[283] and later issued orders protecting the
rights of the migrants.[284][285] In its report to the
Supreme Court of India on 30 March, the central
government stated that the migrant workers, apprehensive
about their survival, moved in the panic created by fake
news that the lockdown would last for more than three
months.[286][287] In early May, the central government
finally permitted the Indian Railways to launch "Shramik
Special" trains for the migrant workers and others
stranded,[288] but this move had a few
complications.[289][290][291] On 26 May, the Supreme
Court admitted that the problems of the migrants had still
not been solved and ordered the Centre and States to

37
provide free food, shelter and transport to stranded

migrant workers.[292]
Migrant workers stand in a queue for food at Delhi Govt

school during COVID-19 Lockdown at Delhi
Unemployment
The coronavirus lockdown in India has left tens of
millions of migrant workers unemployed.[293][294]
Food security -
The lockdown disrupted food supplies and threatened to

trigger a food crisis.[295][296] By the first week of April,
essential industries such as growing, harvesting and food
deliveries were allowed to operate.

38
COVID-19 IMPACT ON
SUPPLY CHAIN
MANAGEMENT
These are tough questions, especially for organizations

that do not have the right technology solutions to
support decision-making processes.
The COVID-19 crisis has led many organizations to

realize that 3rd Platform technologies are no longer a
competitive advantage, but a necessary business
enabler. It has also increased the need to implement
technologies that support business continuity on
various fronts.
Areas of Improvement -

39
During the crisis companies will be putting on hold some

IT initiatives or transferring cash and resources to
collaborative applications and infrastructure support to
enable new ways of working and better manage the
short-term implications. Moving forward, organizations
should focus on solutions that support advanced planning
and mitigate the impact of similar events in the future.
Among the areas for improvement are:
● End-to-end stock visibility: -
Organizations need to know what they have in their

warehouses, in store, what is selling at what time, and
where, so they can quickly react to changing conditions
and customer needs. Having unified inventory visibility
across channels in a single database is crucial. This not
only enables organizations to make rapid and agile
replenishment and stock transfers — it also means they
avoid overspend on inventory.
● Complex supplier monitoring:

40
Understanding how suppliers’ and their subcontractors’

locations are spread out globally, and knowing which
products pass through those sites, is critical to manage
any disruptions. This enables organizations to quickly
predict how the supply chain will be impacted over the
coming weeks, giving them time to immediately execute
mitigation strategies.
● Analytics and artificial intelligence:
Deploying tools infused with strong analytics

capabilities will enable organizations to get ahead of
demand, respond to changing market conditions,
improve demand forecast accuracy, and suggest
better allocation and replenishment strategies. By
combining internal and external data, supported by
AI, applications can work on scenario analysis and
“what-if” conditions, creating complex models to plot
the best course of action.
● Process automation:

41
Workflow automation leads to even faster and more

agile replenishment processes. For example, systems
that provide low-stock alerts can automatically order
goods for a particular store quickly and
cost-effectively from the right location.
How Supply Chain Management

Technology Vendors Should Respond -
For Supply Chain Management technology vendors, now

is the time to put innovation and business process
transformation at the front and center of the conversation.
Customer organizations need to see how Supply Chain
Management solutions can better prepare them for
demand fluctuations, macroeconomic instability, and
challenging conditions. Supply Chain Management can
also support enterprise planning and management beyond
the supply chain and create a robust but agile production
model that can rise to current and future challenges.

42
How much inventory needs to be

stocked, and where?
INVENTORY MANAGEMENTCOVID-19
(CORONAVIRUS)
4 Lessons on Inventory Management

During the COVID-19 Pandemic
● Blanket Policies Covering a Wide

Range of Products to Increase or
Decrease Inventory Don't Work

43
April to reflect this decrease in demand. In monitoring

weekly sales in April, this seems to be working well. Had
our client decreased forecasts for all items by 25%, they
would have understocked the majority of products in the
division while overstocking these 22 troublesome SKUs.
● What Customers Buy is Not Necessarily

What They Want
We have seen a lot of instances of high demand of

typically slow-moving products. Often, customers are
buying these items because their preferred choice is not
available. Usage history for these products customers
settle for should be transferred to the preferred items to
assure future customer satisfaction. When it comes time
to issue replenishment orders, if the preferred product is
not available from a supplier, allow your buyers to locate
"temporary" substitutes.

44
● Closely Monitor Unusual Sales or Usage

Activity Every Week
Be sure to adjust forecasts based on "normalized" usage

history for the effects of the COVID-19 virus. (Contact
me for more information on the process for calculating
these "collaborative percentages"). At the end of every
week, compare actual sales to these adjusted forecasts. If
there is a significant difference (for example, sales, month
to date, are more than three times the forecast or less than
half the forecast) determine if the collaborative percentage
needs to be adjusted in forecasting demand for the rest of
the month.

45
● Concentrate on Your "A" Ranked

Items Based on Hits
Your inventory planners or buyers may be overwhelmed

with problems created during these challenging times. Let
them focus on the most important tasks and avoid being
distracted by less important problems. Keep in mind that a
small percentage of items are responsible for the majority
of customer requests. Concentrate on these items! Only if
you have time left over analyze the items that are
requested less often.
I have been in inventory management for more than 40

years. While this pandemic has presented us with a unique
situation, it is not the only crisis we have dealt with and
overcame. Afterward, we have the advantage of additional
knowledge acquired during our experience. We will get
through this.

46
The keys to survival and eventual success is

to: -
● Accept the situation in which you find

yourself.
● Determine what you have the power to

do to improve your situation.
● Get started! You will accomplish

nothing by sitting in one place and
feeling anxious.
We have summarized four procedures you can implement

now to adjust your forecast of future demand of items and
address the effects of COVID-19. Several states are

47
starting to open up various sections of their economy and

wade into the pool of gradual recovery. We will monitor
business conditions over the next few weeks to help you
manage your inventory in this evolving situation.
How can supplier networks be expanded
and best utilized?
The spread of COVID-19 is an epidemic affecting

hundreds of thousands of people worldwide, with
significant economic implications to linger for months to
come.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and

Development (OECD) warned that the coronavirus could
cut global economic growth in half, with industries across
the board facing fallout. The global economy and
international markets plunged as the coronavirus spread
from China, the world’s second-largest economy, to other
countries in Asia, Australia, Europe, the Americas and the
Middle East. Policies intended to prevent further spread
of the virus, which include travel restrictions and
quarantines, have unintended consequences of disrupting

48
international supply chains, suspending business

operations and shrinking revenues.
According to recent data from Dun & Bradstreet, services,

wholesale, manufacturing and retail account for more than
75 percent of businesses in the impacted region of China.
On a global level, 51,000 companies have “one or more
direct or Tier 1 supplier,” from the impacted region and
an additional five million companies have Tier 2 suppliers
there, with 938 of those being Fortune 1000 companies.
The impact on supply chain is twofold. For one,

companies must closely monitor short-term and long-term
demand and inventory to accommodate production loss in
the wake of factory closures and economic slowdown. For
another, retailers are faced with inventory depletion as
consumers stock up in preparation for potential quarantine
or extended stays at home. Delivery options have also
become a more appealing alternative for consumers who
want to avoid making trips to the store – leaving retailers
to mitigate fulfillment, while also keeping employees
safe.

49
“Retailers around the world are grappling with the

appropriate response to the coronavirus for their
employees, customers and their business,” Hilding
Anderson, head of strategy, retail, North America, said.
“For many, it's shaping into a once-in-a-generation test of
business continuity, planning and supply chain
flexibility.”
Events that have a very high impact on the market but

have a very low probability of materialization – otherwise
known as “black swan events” – make short-term and
long-term consequences like “panic buying,” work
shortages or limited supply hard to measure definitively.
However, there are measures organizations can take that
can help navigate risk when black swan events occur, and
as they unfold.
● Create contingency plans: Start with

scenario-planning strategies for different demand
environments
● Mitigate supply shock: Work closely with existing

suppliers while diversifying the supply base

50
● Manage demand volatility: Manage panic buying

situations while taking on a responsbile retailer
role
● Make work safe: Invest in protective gear for
supply-chain workers and communicate via apps
to manage time, availability and safety
Pricing And Demand in Pandemic

Navigating the COVID-19 crisis
Nearly every public- and private-sector leader now facing

the prospect of human tragedy shares one top priority: the
health and safety of employees, customers, vendors, and
their families. Once they have put the necessary measures
in place to protect people’s lives, leaders must help
protect livelihoods as the COVID-19 pandemic turns the
global economy upside down.
The crisis is also exerting sudden and unprecedented

pressures—sometimes up, but more often down—on

51
demand and pricing. In many sectors, from air travel to

durable goods, sharp drops in demand, excess capacity,
and heightened price sensitivity are converging to drive
down prices and destroy value. Many customers are
asking for discounts and contract renegotiations, while
some competitors are making aggressive pricing
decisions. In other sectors, from shipping and groceries to
medical supplies, demand has risen to levels no one could
have anticipated in early 2020, putting upward pressure
on prices.
In both scenarios, companies need to sustain value to both

survive the crisis and protect their employees’ livelihoods.
Companies must also be flexible and creative to support
customers in this tough time and work with them to
weather the crisis together.
While it’s difficult to take a long-term view in the fog of a

crisis that seems to change every day, we expect that the
companies that emerge in the strongest positions will be
those now taking a “through-cycle” view of their
relationships with customers and the communities where
they do business as part of an integrated approach with

52
marketing and sales. In the midst of the worst health crisis

in more than a century, they will be at their best,
addressing customers’ pain points with flexible payment
terms, unbundling, and one-time promotions. In short,
they will drive long-term value creation rather than seek
short-term advantage.
Managing unprecedented variability in

demand -
Each company faces a unique array of challenges

today; no single approach or solution will suit them
all. But it can be helpful to consider pricing challenges
in the following three main market scenarios:
1. Companies experiencing a sharp and

unprecedented drop in demand -
Sectors directly affected by social distancing and

government isolation guidelines, such as airlines, hotels,
and food service, are acutely impacted today. As they

53
struggle with decreased demand, they also have excess

capacity and heightened price sensitivity. Many of these
companies are getting requests for steep discounts and
new terms as their competitors scramble to attract the few
remaining customers, at times with prices well below
cost. But for many companies in this kind of marketplace,
we believe that pricing is now beside the point. After
health and safety measures are in place, they should focus
on maintaining cash reserves and preserving key assets
and talent to survive the crisis and fight another day.
Serving a few bargain-hunting customers at a loss is
rarely a route to long-term success.
2. Companies experiencing an explosive

increase in demand -
Some companies are now rushing to expand capacity,

including those that provide critical products and services,
such as medical supplies, shipping, and cleaning, and
those whose products are highly sought after by people
confined to their homes, from toilet paper and canned
food to audio headsets, video conferencing, and home

54
entertainment. While this may seem like a rare

opportunity to generate outsized profits, perceptions of
price gouging could have serious reputational and even
legal consequences. We urge suppliers not to raise prices
sharply on essential goods or services or ignore contracts
in order to take advantage of an emergency. In fact, many
states in the US are investigating hundreds of
price-gouging complaints from consumers in the days that
followed state-of-emergency declarations. That said,
operational concerns may be even more important than
pricing strategy, including stabilizing the supply chain,
keeping products on the shelves, addressing customers’
urgent needs, and maintaining quality.
3. Companies with muted or lumpy

demand -
Some sectors, such as home improvement, landscaping,

and consumer electronics, are not directly affected by
COVID-19 but feel the impact of a general slowdown or
moderate uptick as people’s lives change at work and at
home. Many of these companies have opportunities to

55
take near-term pricing actions that preserve and build

value—but they should avoid certain pitfalls.

The COVID-19 PANDEMIC

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The COVID-19 PANDEMIC

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1

The COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Coronaviruses are human and animal

Assignment Of Production And Operation Management - Akash Bawariya GGITS SECTION A

THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN

India is part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus

Assignment Of Production And Operation Management - Akash Bawariya GGITS SECTION A

24 May 2020, Lakshadweep is the only region which has

On 22 March, India observed a 14-hour voluntary public

The United Nations (UN) and the World Health

Assignment Of Production And Operation Management - Akash Bawariya GGITS SECTION A

Response Tracker (OxCGRT) noted the government's

Assignment Of Production And Operation Management - Akash Bawariya GGITS SECTION A

What’s the impact on business?

Assignment Of Production And Operation Management - Akash Bawariya GGITS SECTION A

Travel restrictions and quarantines affecting hundreds of

The mobility and work disruptions have led to marked

Assignment Of Production And Operation Management - Akash Bawariya GGITS SECTION A

diagnostic, and hospital capacities to identify, isolate, and

The outbreak has been declared an epidemic in more than

Protective measures were first applied in January. India

Assignment Of Production And Operation Management - Akash Bawariya GGITS SECTION A

airports, it was expanded to 20 airports towards the end of

Awareness poster released by the Ministry of Health and

Assignment Of Production And Operation Management - Akash Bawariya GGITS SECTION A

availability of protective and medical materials. The

On 17 March, the Government of India issued an

Union and state governments set up national and state

Major Indian cities and many states made wearing facial

Assignment Of Production And Operation Management - Akash Bawariya GGITS SECTION A

On 29 April, The Ministry of Home Affairs issued

Travel and entry restrictions -

On 3 March 2020, the Indian government stopped issuing

All visas were suspended on 13 March, except for

Assignment Of Production And Operation Management - Akash Bawariya GGITS SECTION A

The land border with Myanmar began to be restricted on 9

On 4 March 2020, the Minister of Health and Family

Assignment Of Production And Operation Management - Akash Bawariya GGITS SECTION A

Closedown and curfews -

Over the month of March, multiple states across the

On 15 March, Ministry of Culture closed all monuments

Main article: COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in India

Empty roads during the lockdown in Vadodara, Gujarat

Assignment Of Production And Operation Management - Akash Bawariya GGITS SECTION A

reported.[67]80 cities including Delhi, Bengaluru,

On 24 March, PM Narendra Modi announced a complete

After his consultation with CMs and administrators of

On 1 May, the Government of India extended nationwide

On 30 May, the MHA announced that the ongoing

Assignment Of Production And Operation Management - Akash Bawariya GGITS SECTION A

containment zones, with services resuming in a phased

The Government Divided the entire nation into three

Red zone (Hotspots) – districts with high doubling rate

Assignment Of Production And Operation Management - Akash Bawariya GGITS SECTION A

panic, made special efforts to reach out to vulnerable

Assignment Of Production And Operation Management - Akash Bawariya GGITS SECTION A

minutes. State and local authorities were told to blow the

In an address on 14 April, PM Modi asked the citizens to

In a live telecast on 12 May, PM Modi announced an

Assignment Of Production And Operation Management - Akash Bawariya GGITS SECTION A

that Special economic package was for labourers, farmers,

See also: Essential Services Maintenance Act and