Hindi English Translation || Editorial || The spring blues: On India’s recovery two years into the pandemic

The spring blues: On India’s recovery two years into the pandemic

A fresh guard (रक्षक, सुरक्षा) is needed to nurture (पालन - पोषण करना, प्रोत्साहित करना, बढ़ावा देना) India’s fledgling (अनुभवहीन, उभरना, शुरुआत करना) economic recovery (स्वास्थ्यलाभ, वापसी, पलटाव) from the pandemic (वैश्विक महामारी)

This week, India will complete two years since the Government embarked on (शुरुआत करना, तय करना) what is now considered the harshest and quickest lockdowns in the world in a bid to block entry points for the infectious (संक्रामक, संचारणीय) COVID-19 virus. The efficacy (प्रभाव, दक्षता, शक्ति) of that lockdown, both in terms of (के अनुसार, के संबंध में) curbing (रोकना, नियंत्रण करना) infection rates (and mortality (मृत्यु दर, नश्वरता) rates) and the accompanying (साथ का, संलग्न, परिचर, सह-अस्तित्व) hardships (कठिनाई, कष्ट, तकलीफ) imposed (लगाना, थोपना, लागू करना) on the population (आबादी, निवासी) at large, can be debated at length (thoroughly, fully, in detail, comprehensively, exhaustively, completely, extensively). There is, however, little argument over the massive economic costs (loss, suffering, drawback, disadvantage) for the country. The Reserve Bank of India has underlined (emphasize, give emphasis to, highlight, accentuate, underscore, call attention to) that some of that damage to India’s GDP is permanent. This can be linked to businesses shutting (close, lock) shop for good (for all time, forever, permanently, for always, endlessly), labourers migrating home (with many choosing not to return) and consumers turning increasingly reluctant (unwilling, disinclined, resisting, opposed, hesitant). The rebuilding (reorganize, restructure, rearrange, revamp) effort remains a work in progress (something that is being developed ( and not yet finished/completed)), although record tax collections would suggest that all is well. Personal consumption and employment-driving contact-intensive (relating to the industries/sectors that have an average physical proximity index over 60. E.g. hospitality, travel, beauty and wellness, aviation etc. (Physical proximity index quantifies/measures the extent to which different occupations require physical proximity for work to be carried out)) sectors remain below pre-pandemic (before the pandemic) levels, even as other macro (large-scale) metrics (measures of quantitative assessment used for comparing, and tracking performance) have surpassed pre-COVID performance (capability, capacity, potential). Just as the virus appeared to be ebbing, triggering hopes of a revival (improvement, rallying, picking up; re-establishment, reintroduction, restoration) in consumer confidence, the Russia-Ukraine conflict (war, armed conflict, battle, fighting) has thrown up fresh challenges, including high commodity and crude oil (the raw natural resource that is extracted from the earth and refined into products such as gasoline, jet fuel, diesel and other petroleum products) prices.

Health-care costs are considered a key factor for pushing several middle- and lower-income households (family, house) below the poverty line (a benchmark used by the government of India to indicate economic disadvantage and to identify individuals and households in need of government assistance and aid), while high inflation (simply meaning “cost of living”; increase of price level of goods & services and vice versa decrease of currency value) affects all economic actors (participants (in an action)). The Russia-Ukraine situation has not only catapulted (propel, launch, loft something high up (at a high speed)) gas, oil and coal prices higher but also fertilizers (Fertilizers are organic or inorganic substances containing chemical elements that improve the growth of plants and the fertility (productiveness) of the soil. The percentage content of nutrients in organic fertilizers (manure’s) is relatively low. In inorganic or mineral fertilizers, the nutrients are inorganic salts, obtained by extraction and/or physical and chemical processes. The three primary plant nutrients are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium), wheat, corn, and seed oil. A section of farmers growing crops such as wheat may gain, but inflation in essential items such as food and transport, will impact the poor the most. For now (for the time being, for the moment, for the present), India’s oil marketing companies, who the Government has argued determine the retail prices of fuel, have shown extreme benevolence (kindness, goodwill, compassion, consideration) in holding rates at November 2021 levels and this may persist (continue, remain, stay) till Parliament’s current session ends. This is, however, not fiscally (financially) sustainable, just as the Finance Ministry has argued that high global commodity prices are not. A prolonged (lengthy, extended, protracted, unending, unrelenting) conflict in Europe could tip (upset, overturn, topple over, turn over, upend) the global economy into recession (economic decline, slowdown, downturn, depression, slump), even as monetary policy (monetary policy refers to the use of monetary instruments under the control of the central bank to regulate magnitudes such as interest rates, money supply, and availability of credit with a view to achieving the ultimate objective of economic policy mentioned in the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934) missteps (mistake, blunder, false step) and social risks (potential/possible loss of status in one’s social group as a result of adopting a product or service, looking foolish or untrendy) associated with high inflation, could dampen (decrease, diminish/lessen, reduce) growth, Moody’s Investors Service warned last week. On the other hand (as an alternative), the Government’s robust (strong, vigorous, powerful) direct tax collections that have surpassed even revised estimates by ₹1.13 lakh crore, give it room (opportunity, chance, scope, leeway, latitude) to not just push forward (progress, carry on, forge ahead, thrust ahead; step up, accelerate, speed up, expedite) the LIC share sale till market volatility (unpredictability, instability, unreliability) subsides (diminish, decline, abate, get lower) but also slash (reduce, lower, bring down) fuel taxes further, curb other inflationary (tending to cause monetary inflation) pressures (demand) and expand the COVID-19 booster shots (In medical terms, a booster dose is an extra administration of a vaccine after an earlier dose) coverage. Unless people get more certainty (confidence, sureness, conviction, certitude) about the pandemic’s end-game (the final stage of a game; conclusion, consummation, end), and have some money in their hands, it would be difficult to spur (stimulate, encourage, prompt, galvanize) consumption enough to reach the necessary next stage of the recovery — a revival in private investments.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.pandemic (noun)

Hindi Meaning - वैश्विक महामारी
English Meaning - the worldwide spread of a new disease; The illness spreads around the world and typically affects a large number of people across a wide area.

2.guard (noun)

Hindi Meaning - रक्षक, सुरक्षा
English Meaning - safety guard, protect, shelter, shield.

3.nurture (verb)

Hindi Meaning - पालन - पोषण करना, प्रोत्साहित करना, बढ़ावा देना
English Meaning - encourage, promote, stimulate, foster, further, advance, boost, strengthen.

4.fledgling (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - अनुभवहीन, उभरना, शुरुआत करना
English Meaning - emerging, beginning, developing, growing; promising, potential,.

5.recovery (noun)

Hindi Meaning - स्वास्थ्यलाभ, वापसी, पलटाव
English Meaning - comeback, return, rebound.

6.embark on (verb)

Hindi Meaning - शुरुआत करना, तय करना
English Meaning - begin, start, undertake, set about.

7.infectious (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - संक्रामक, संचारणीय
English Meaning - transmissive, contagious, communicable, transmissible, spreading.

8.efficacy (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रभाव, दक्षता, शक्ति
English Meaning - effectiveness, efficiency, power.

9.in terms of (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - के अनुसार, के संबंध में
English Meaning - with regard to, regarding/concerning, in connection with.

10.curb (verb)

Hindi Meaning - रोकना, नियंत्रण करना
English Meaning - control, contain, restrict, limit.

11.mortality (noun)

Hindi Meaning - मृत्यु दर, नश्वरता
English Meaning - (in a particular time/for a cause) the rate/number of death; death, loss of life.

12.accompanying (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - साथ का, संलग्न, परिचर, सह-अस्तित्व
English Meaning - attendant, coexisting, coincident, coincidental, concomitant, concurrent.

13.hardship (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कठिनाई, कष्ट, तकलीफ
English Meaning - distress, suffering, affliction, trouble.

14.impose (verb)

Hindi Meaning - लगाना, थोपना, लागू करना
English Meaning - apply, enforce, exact, inflict.

15.population (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आबादी, निवासी
English Meaning - inhabitants, residents, people, citizens, citizenry, public.

16.spring (noun)

English Meaning - spring season. (it also means the origin, basis, source, root of something).

17.blues (noun)

English Meaning - feelings of depression, feelings of sadness, feelings of unhappiness; misery, sorrow, gloominess.

18.spring blues (noun)

English Meaning - seasonal depression; seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

19.lockdown (noun)

English Meaning - an emergency protocol implemented by the authorities that prevents people from leaving from a place; An extended state of confinement/encirclement/isolation of a person by the authority.

20.bid (noun)

English Meaning - attempt, effort, endeavour/try.

21.at large (phrase)

English Meaning - as a whole, generally, in general.

22.at length (phrase)

English Meaning - thoroughly, fully, in detail, comprehensively, exhaustively, completely, extensively.

23.cost (noun)

English Meaning - loss, suffering, drawback, disadvantage.

24.underline (verb)

English Meaning - emphasize, give emphasis to, highlight, accentuate, underscore, call attention to.

25.Gross domestic product (GDP) (noun)

English Meaning - a measure of economic activity in a country. It is the total value of a country’s annual output of goods and services.

26.shut (verb)

English Meaning - close, lock.

27.for good (phrase)

English Meaning - for all time, forever, permanently, for always, endlessly.

28.reluctant (adjective)

English Meaning - unwilling, disinclined, resisting, opposed, hesitant.

29.rebuild (verb)

English Meaning - reorganize, restructure, rearrange, revamp.

30.work in progress (phrase)

English Meaning - something that is being developed ( and not yet finished/completed).

31.contact-intensive (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to the industries/sectors that have an average physical proximity index over 60. E.g. hospitality, travel, beauty and wellness, aviation etc. (Physical proximity index quantifies/measures the extent to which different occupations require physical proximity for work to be carried out).

32.non-contact intensive (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to the industries/sectors that have an average physical proximity index below 60. E.g. financial, real estate and professional services etc. (Physical proximity index quantifies/measures the extent to which different occupations require physical proximity for work to be carried out).

33.pre-pandemic (noun)

English Meaning - before the pandemic.

34.macro (adjective)

English Meaning - large-scale.

35.metrics (noun)

English Meaning - measures of quantitative assessment used for comparing, and tracking performance.

36.surpass (verb)

English Meaning - be greater than, exceed.

37.performance (noun)

English Meaning - capability, capacity, potential.

38.ebb (verb)

English Meaning - diminish, decrease, lessen, decline, fade away, wane, dwindle, disappear.

39.trigger (verb)

English Meaning - cause, produce, bring about, prompt.

40.revival (noun)

English Meaning - improvement, rallying, picking up; re-establishment, reintroduction, restoration.

41.conflict (noun)

English Meaning - war, armed conflict, battle, fighting.

42.throw up (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - produce something; bring something to notice.

43.crude oil (noun)

English Meaning - the raw natural resource that is extracted from the earth and refined into products such as gasoline, jet fuel, diesel and other petroleum products.

44.household (noun)

English Meaning - family, house.

45.Below Poverty Line (BPL) (noun)

English Meaning - a benchmark used by the government of India to indicate economic disadvantage and to identify individuals and households in need of government assistance and aid.

46.inflation (noun)

English Meaning - simply meaning “cost of living”; increase of price level of goods & services and vice versa decrease of currency value.

47.actor (noun)

English Meaning - participants (in an action).

48.catapult (verb)

English Meaning - propel, launch, loft something high up (at a high speed).

49.fertilizer (noun)

English Meaning - Fertilizers are organic or inorganic substances containing chemical elements that improve the growth of plants and the fertility (productiveness) of the soil. The percentage content of nutrients in organic fertilizers (manure’s) is relatively low. In inorganic or mineral fertilizers, the nutrients are inorganic salts, obtained by extraction and/or physical and chemical processes. The three primary plant nutrients are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

50.crop (noun)

English Meaning - a plant that is grown in large quantities.

51.for now (phrase)

English Meaning - for the time being, for the moment, for the present.

52.benevolence (noun)

English Meaning - kindness, goodwill, compassion, consideration.

53.persist (verb)

English Meaning - continue, remain, stay.

54.fiscally (adverb)

English Meaning - financially.

55.sustainable (adjective)

English Meaning - justifiable, defendable, supportable

56.prolonged (adjective)

English Meaning - lengthy, extended, protracted, unending, unrelenting.

57.tip (verb)

English Meaning - upset, overturn, topple over, turn over, upend.

58.recession (noun)

English Meaning - economic decline, slowdown, downturn, depression, slump.

59.monetary policy (noun)

English Meaning - monetary policy refers to the use of monetary instruments under the control of the central bank to regulate magnitudes such as interest rates, money supply, and availability of credit with a view to achieving the ultimate objective of economic policy mentioned in the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.

60.misstep (noun)

English Meaning - mistake, blunder, false step.

61.social risk (noun)

English Meaning - potential/possible loss of status in one’s social group as a result of adopting a product or service, looking foolish or untrendy.

62.dampen (verb)

English Meaning - decrease, diminish/lessen, reduce.

63.Moody’s Investors Service (noun)

English Meaning - often referred to as Moody’s; Moody’s Investors Service is a leading provider of credit ratings, research, and risk analysis. Moody’s commitment and expertise contributes to transparent and integrated financial markets.

64.on the other hand (phrase)

English Meaning - as an alternative.

65.robust (adjective)

English Meaning - strong, vigorous, powerful.

66.room (noun)

English Meaning - opportunity, chance, scope, leeway, latitude.

67.push forward (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - progress, carry on, forge ahead, thrust ahead; step up, accelerate, speed up, expedite.

68.volatility (noun)

English Meaning - unpredictability, instability, unreliability.

69.subside (verb)

English Meaning - diminish, decline, abate, get lower.

70.slash (verb)

English Meaning - reduce, lower, bring down.

71.Inflationary/price pressures (noun)

English Meaning - the demand and supply-side pressures that can cause a rise in the general price level; cost-push inflation, hot-economy, deficit finance.

72.inflationary (adjective)

English Meaning - tending to cause monetary inflation.

73.pressure (noun)

English Meaning - demand.

74.booster shot/dose (noun)

English Meaning - In medical terms, a booster dose is an extra administration of a vaccine after an earlier dose.

75.certainty (noun)

English Meaning - confidence, sureness, conviction, certitude.

76.end-game (noun)

English Meaning - the final stage of a game; conclusion, consummation, end.

77.spur (verb)

English Meaning - stimulate, encourage, prompt, galvanize.