“The biggest worry that we are facing right now is the spectre of massive unemployment. The food services sector employs about 7.3 million people. Even with a conservative 15% to 20% job cut, we are talking about 1.5 million Indians going jobless. That’s a massive problem.”

- Anurag Katriar, President, National Restaurant Association of India

As restaurants across India remain closed due to the coronavirus crisis, the industry is bracing for unprecedented losses and layoffs. Restaurant owners and associations are now demanding that the Central government take urgent steps to provide them economic assistance.

Will the COVID-19 Economic Response Task Force led by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman heed the requests made by the food services sector?