Ration shops, milk booths, petrol pumps to remain open during 21-day lockdown

The Ministry of Home Affairs on Tuesday said that commercial and private establishments shall be closed during the 21-days countrywide lockdown but shops, including ration shops (under PDS) dealing with food, groceries, fruits and vegetables, dairy and milk booths, meat, fish and animal fodder shops will be open.

The guidelines said that district authorities may encourage and facilitate home delivery to minimize the movement of individuals outside their homes.

Banks, insurance offices, and ATMs, print and electronic media, telecommunications, internet services, broadcasting and cable services, delivery of all essential goods including food, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment through e-commerce will work and remain open.

It said IT and IT-enabled services only (for essential services) should as far as possible work from home.

Besides these, petrol pumps, LPG, petroleum and gas retail and storage outlets, power generation, transmission and distribution units and services, capital and debt market services as notified by the Securities and Exchange Board of India, cold storage and warehousing services, private security services will stay open.