Committed to ensure delivery of essential goods to people: Goyal

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday held a discussion through video-conferencing with e-commerce and logistics sectors regarding the issues faced by them while delivering goods to people during the lockdown amid the coronavirus outbreak.

The minister discussed in detail the measures to resolve them.

"We are committed to ensuring that essential goods reach the people in the most-convenient and safest manner," the minister said in a tweet.

The meeting assumed significance as traders and e-commerce companies have raised concerns over police beating up delivery boys in various states while they were doing their duty.

The meeting was attended by Snapdeals CEO Kunal Bahl, Shopclues CEO Sanjay Sethi, Flipkart CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy, Grofers CEO Albinder Singh Dhindsa, and Zomato founder Deepender Goyal, Walmart CEO Krish Iyer, Delihivery Chief Operating Officer Ajith Pai, Paytm Executive Director Rudra Dalmia and Swiggy Managing Director Vivek Sundar, among others.

Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla and DPIIT Secretary Guruprasad Mohapatra had also held a detailed meeting on Wednesday with traders and e-commerce firms on smooth supply of essential goods in the country.

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has set up a control room to monitor in real time the status of transportation and delivery of essential commodities amid the coronavirus lockdown in the country.

It will also monitor difficulties being faced by various stakeholders during the lockdown period from March 25 to April 14.

Flipkart CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy said that the minister patiently hear issues that industry is facing while delivering essential supplies to customers.