India Lockdown Extension: What’s Allowed, What’s Not From April 20
India is allowing select goods and services to operate as the lockdown extension threatens to stall a battered Indian economy.
India is considering easing restrictions in some areas that are least affected by the coronavirus pandemic to mitigate the hardships faced, even as the government extended the nationwide lockdown till May 3.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs issued revised guidelines to allow select activities from April 20. But before operating these relaxations, states/union territories/district administrations will have to ensure that all the preparatory arrangements have been made with regards to social distancing in offices, workplaces, factories and establishments, it said in a statement. The consolidated guidelines will not apply in any containment zones.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended the lockdown through May 3 as India stepped up its fight to contain the virus spread among its 1.3 billion citizens. The government will evaluate every town, district and state until April 20 for adherence with lockdown, Modi said in a televised address on Tuesday. Areas that are less likely to turn into a hotspot may be allowed to open certain essential activities from April 20, he said.
According to latest data from the health ministry, the number of Covid-19 cases in India has crossed the 11,000-mark, including over 300 deaths.
Earlier, the commerce ministry had sent recommendation to the home ministry to allow certain industries, including heavy electrical items, steel, cement, telecom equipment, paints and fertiliser plants, among others, to resume operations with restrictions to kick-start the economy and avoid job losses.
“The phased manner of the exit from lockdown provides a road map for an economic restart after May 3. The home ministry guidelines are in line with the CII’s suggestions on calibrated exit from lockdown as per spatial and sectoral considerations, while maintaining health and sanitation as well as social distancing protocols,” Chandrajit Banerjee, director-general at the Confederation of Indian Industry, said in a statement. “With this advance guidance, industries would be able to better prepare for a restart of economic activities.”
What’s Allowed
Healthcare
All medical services have been exempted from restrictions. These include:
- Hospitals, nursing home, clinics, and telemedicine facilities.
- Manufacturing units of drugs, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, their packaging material, raw material and intermediaries.
- Movement of all health workers—doctors, nurses, hospital staff, veterinary, lab technicians, midwives—for both inter and intra state, including by air.
Agriculture
All agriculture and horticulture activities will remain functional. These include:
- Mandis run by Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMCs) or those notified by states and/or union governments.
- Shops of agriculture machinery, fisheries, plantations and animal husbandry are also allowed with a few restrictions.
Financial Markets & Insurance
- The Reserve Bank of India and the central bank-regulated financial markets will remain functional. Bank branches, ATMs, and IT vendors for banking operations are also exempted from lockdown.
- The Insurance Regulatory Development Authority of India and insurance companies are allowed to operate during the lockdown.
- Work under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, MGNREGA, is allowed with strict social distancing guidelines and masks.
Public Utilities
- Operations of oil and gas sector, including refining, transportation, distribution, storage and retail of products, are allowed. Also, postal services, including post offices.
- Movement, loading/unloading of goods/cargo for both inter and intra state is allowed. Movement of staff and contractual labor for operations of railways, airports, land ports, seaports is allowed and passes being issued by local authority.
- All facilities in the supply chain of essential goods, whether in manufacturing, wholesale or retail through local stores, large brick and mortar stores or through e-commerce, are allowed. Shops and carts dealing with goods and groceries will be allowed to operate without any restrictions on their timing.
Commercial & Private Establishments
- Print and electronic media, including broadband, DTH and cable services.
- IT and IT-enabled services with up to 50 percent strength. Data and call centre for government activities only. Private security services for upkeep of office and residential services.
- E-commerce companies, including vehicles used by operators, cold storage and warehousing services, and courier services.
- Hotel, homestays, lodges and motels that are accommodating tourists and persons stranded due to lockdown.
- Services provided by self-employed persons such as electricians, IT repairs, plumbers, motor mechanics, and carpenters.
- Government-approved common services centers at gram panchayat level.
Construction & Manufacturing
- Industries operating in rural areas, outside municipality limits are permitted.
- Manufacturing in special economic zones/export-oriented units with strict access control.
- Food processing industries in rural areas, jute industry, brick kilns in rural areas are permitted.
- Mining activity, oil and gas exploration/refining activity.
- Construction of roads, irrigation projects, buildings and all kind of industrial projects.
- Construction projects, within the limits of municipal corporations, where workers are available on site.
- Movement of person is allowed in cases such as private vehicles for emergency services, including medical and veterinary care, and for procuring essential commodities.
- Offices of the Government of India, its autonomous/subordinate offices will also remain open.
What’s Not Allowed
- All domestic and international air travel for general public, passenger trains, bus transport, and metro rail services will remain closed.
- Taxis, including autorickshaws and cycle rickshaws, and cab aggregators will not operate during the extended lockdown.
- All social, political, sports, entertainment, academic, cultural and religious activities also stand suspended.
- All religious places of worship will be closed for public during the lockdown. In case of funerals, the congregation of more than 20 persons will not be permitted.
- All social, political, sports, cultural, academic, entertainment and religious gatherings are prohibited.
- All educational institutes to remain shut.