MHA guidelines: Govt allows e-tail, agri activities to resume from April 20

The Ministry of Home Affairs came out with some guidelines about what is allowed and what will be restricted

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced the extension of nationwide lockdown till May 3 to contain the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19). In his address to the nation, PM Modi said that there would be some relaxations to allow activities to resume in select areas. The Ministry of Home Affairs came out with some guidelines about what activities have been allowed and what will remain restricted. The ministry added that State and union territory governments shall not dilute lockdown guidelines in any manner, but they may impose stricter measures as per local requirements. The exemptions given will not be applicable to the hotspots. Now, wearing a mask will be mandatory across the nation. 

Here is the list of activties that are allowed from April 20

• Transportation of all goods will be allowed without the distinction of essential and non-essential.
• Services provided by self-employed electricians, IT repairs, plumbers, motor mechanics, carpenters.

Farming operations will be allowed. These include:

1. Procurement of agricultural products
2. Agriculture marketing through notified Mandis and direct and decentralised marketing
3. Manufacture, distribution, and retail of fertilizers, pesticides, and seeds.

• Activities of marine and inland fisheries; animal husbandry activities, 

• Supply chain of milk, milk products, poultry and live-stock farming; and tea, coffee and rubber plantations 

To support the rural economy and create employment, some industries working in rural areas have been allowed to resume operations. These include:

• Food processing industries
• Construction of roads, irrigation projects, buildings, and industrial projects in rural areas
• Works under MNREGA, with priority to irrigation and water conservation works; 
• Operation of rural Common Service Centres (CSCs)

Construction

• Construction of roads, irrigation projects, all kinds of industrial projects in rural areas outside municipal corporations and municipalities.
• Construction of renewable energy projects.
• Continuation of works in projects under municipal corporations and municipalities where workers are not required to be brought from outside.

Manufacturing

• Manufacturing and other industrial establishments with access control have been permitted in SEZs, EoUs, industrial estates and industrial townships after implementation of SOP for social distancing. 
• Manufacture of IT hardware and of essential goods and packaging are also allowed with 50 per cent workforce. 
• Coal, mineral, and oil production will be permitted.  

In financial sector, the RBI, banks, ATMs, capital and debt markets as notified by SEBI and insurance companies will also remain functional, to provide liquidity and credit support to the industrial sectors.

E-commerce

• E-commerce operations 
• Operations of IT and IT-enabled services with up to 50 per cent workforce.
• Data and call centres for government activities
• Online teaching and distance learning

What remains restricted till May 3
 

• Educational institutions, coaching centres
• Domestic, international air travel, train services will also remain suspended till this time
• Public places like cinema halls, malls, shopping complexes, gymnasiums, sports complexes, swimming pools, bars
• All social, political, sports, religious functions, religious places, places of worship .