The government on Sunday revised the list of economic activities and services allowed from April 20 in parts of the country least affected by the novel coronavirus outbreak as cases near 16,000 mark.
As per a Home Ministry order released on Sunday, the supply of non-essential goods by e-commerce companies has now been prohibited during the lockdown period. The supply of such goods incuding, mobile phones, laptops, television sets and refrigerators, had been permitted by the government last week.
Among economic activities and services to be functional are health services (including Ministry of AYUSH) and non-banking financial corporations and micro-finance institutions marked essential services.
However, all agriculture and horticulture-related activities will be allowed; this was after some chief ministers warned of approaching harvest season and the potential of bumper wheat crops. The fishing industry (both inland and marine) and the aquaculture industry will also be permitted to function, as will the animal husbandry sector.
Plantation activities, such as those related to tea, coffee and rubber, will be re-opened with a maximum of 50 per cent of employees working at any given time, the government said. Coconut, spice bamboo, areca nut and cocoa plantations, and forest produce by scheduled tribes have also been added to the list.
Construction, in rural areas, of water supply and sanitation, and laying of power lines and telecom optical fibres and cables will also be allowed, according to the home ministry.
The re-opening, in a limited manner, of construction will be good news for the lakhs of unemployed migrant workers and daily labourers who had been left jobless by the ban on activity in this sector under the lockdown ordered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
A detailed tweet posted by Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday listed more economic activities and services to be allowed, including certain commercial and private establishments and industries and industrial establishments (both government and private).
Here is a list of what will remain open all over India with effect from 20th April 2020.
This will NOT be applicable in the containment zones.
Let us all fight together against #Covid19#IndiaFightsCorona#StayHomeStaySafe pic.twitter.com/d1EG0CMEOa
— Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) April 18, 2020
All re-opened factories and workplaces, however, will be required to adhere to guidelines regarding social distancing released by the government last week.
Here is a list of what will remain open all over India with effect from 20th April 2020. This will NOT be applicable in the containment zones. Following are other services that will stay open from April 20:
Financial sector
Social sector
MNREGA works (with strict social distancing and use of face masks)
Public utilities
Loading and unloading of goods/cargo (inter- and intra-) state
Online teaching/distance learning
Supply of essential goods
Commercial and private establishments
Industries/industrial establishments (both government and private)
Construction activities
Private vehicles for emergency services (medical and veterinary care), procuring essential commodities and for personnel traveling to workplaces in exempted categories, as per instructions of state/union territory authorities
Offices of Government of India and offices of states and union territories.
However, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday announced that the lockdown restrictions will not be relaxed in Delhi after April 20, pointing out that the number of corona positive cases were on the rise in the city and lifting prohibitions on economic activities may worsen the situation. Kejriwal said the decision will be reviewed after a week.
“I also want to offer relaxations. It is rather easy actually. And if we offer relaxations and the situation worsens, we fall short of ICUs and ventilators and people die in large numbers, we will not be able to forgive ourselves. Keeping the health of people of Delhi in mind, we have decided that as of now there will be no relaxations. We will again assess the situation after a week and offer some relaxations if the situation permits,” Kejriwal said. At 2,079, Delhi has reported second-highest number of cases in the country after Maharashtra.