The government has revised the list of economic activities and services to be allowed from Monday in parts of the country least affected by the novel coronavirus outbreak.
As per a Home Ministry order released today, the supply of non-essential goods by e-commerce companies has now been prohibited during the lockdown period. The supply of such goods – like mobile phones, laptops, television sets and refrigerators – had been permitted by the government last week.
Among economic activities and services to be functional are health services (including Ministry of AYUSH) and non-banking financial corporations and micro-finance institutions marked essential services.
Most significantly, a list released by the government after a Group of Ministers (GoM) meeting on Saturday confirmed that all agriculture and horticulture-related activities will be allowed; this was after some chief ministers warned of approaching harvest season and the potential of bumper wheat crops.
The fishing industry (both inland and marine) and the aquaculture industry will also be permitted to function, as will the animal husbandry sector.
Plantation activities, such as those related to tea, coffee and rubber, will be re-opened with a maximum of 50 per cent of employees working at any given time, the government said. Coconut, spice bamboo, areca nut and cocoa plantations, and forest produce by scheduled tribes have also been added to the list.
Construction, in rural areas, of water supply and sanitation, and laying of power lines and telecom optical fibres and cables will also be allowed, according to the home ministry.
The re-opening, albeit in a limited manner, of construction will be good news for the lakhs of unemployed migrant workers and daily labourers who had been left jobless by the ban on activity in this sector under the lockdown ordered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
A detailed tweet posted by Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday listed more economic activities and services to be allowed, including certain commercial and private establishments and industries and industrial establishments (both government and private).
All re-opened factories and workplaces, however, will be required to adhere to guidelines regarding social distancing released by the government last week.
This will NOT be applicable in the containment zones.
Financial sector
Social sector
MNREGA works (with strict social distancing and use of face masks)
Public utilities
Loading and unloading of goods/cargo (inter- and intra-) state
Online teaching/distance learning
Supply of essential goods
Commercial and private establishments
Industries/industrial establishments (both government and private)
Construction activities
Private vehicles for emergency services (medical and veterinary care), procuring essential commodities and for personnel traveling to workplaces in exempted categories, as per instructions of state/union territory authorities
Offices of Government of India and offices of states and union territories