India needs ₹65,000 cr to help the poor, it isn't much: Rajan tells Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: India needs to be cleverer in lifting the lockdown and open up its economy in a "measured way" soon as it does not have the capacity to support people across the spectrum for too long, former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan said on Thursday.

He was deliberating on the economic impact of the COVID-19 in a conversation with former Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

Rajan also asserted that India cannot afford to be a divided house especially in times when "challenges are so big".

The dialogue between Gandhi and Rajan was the first of its kind initiative that was broadcast on Congress' social media handles.

To Gandhi's question on how much money would be needed to help the poor in the current situation, the former RBI chief said India needs Rs 65,000 crore to help the poor in the times of pandemic and considering its total GDP, it can afford to do that.