Ensure smooth harvesting, sowing operations while maintaining social distancing: Home Secy

Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla on Friday wrote to Chief Secretaries of all states and Union Territories (UTs) for effective exemption of agriculture operations from lockdown to ensure smooth harvesting and sowing by farmers.

"I would like to draw your kind attention to Ministry of Home Affairs order dated March 27 in which exceptions to lockdown measures have been allowed for agriculture operations, keeping in view the harvesting and sowing season. Though exceptions have been allowed for farming operations by farmers and farm workers, procurement of agriculture productions, operation of mandis, movement of harvesting and sowing related machinery, however, as per information received, these exceptions have not percolated down at the field level," Bhalla wrote in the letter.

"With a view to ensure smooth harvesting and sowing operations, while maintaining social distancing, it is requested that the exceptions allowed for agriculture sector must be communicated to all field agencies," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a nationwide 21-day lockdown effective from March 24 midnight to combat COVID-19.

With as many as 336 fresh cases of COVID-19 and 12 deaths reported in the last 24 hours the total number of novel coronavirus positive cases has gone up to 2,301 in the country, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said today.