Highlights:
- Lockdown extended until 3rd May
- These businesses can start operating after 20th April
- Air, Train and others will remain closed
On the 14th April, our Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on what was supposed to be the last day of the 21 day lockdown, however, in an attempt to contain the spread of novel Coronavirus, he announced that the lockdown will be extended until 3rd May, however, today the government said that to reduce the chronic hardship of millions, some industries in rural areas will be allowed to operate after 20th April.
The government also said that the restrictions will be relaxed after the first week for the least infected areas in the country. The government will then allow farm activities, constructions activities such as of roads and buildings in the rural areas, e-commerce, IT (Information technology) and all inter-state transportation of goods while it will keep a strong hold on restrictions in the hotspots, i.e. where a large number of COVID-19 cases had surfaced.
PM Modi announced the restrictions as the reported cases of infections in India increased to over 10,000 despite a 21 day initial lockdown period.
15 Points On The New Guidelines by Government for Lockdown
1. Agriculture and other related activities will be allowed to resume full-fledged in order to generate jobs for the daily wage earners and other.
2. Industries in the rural areas will also be allowed to operate but while strictly following social distancing.
3. The inter-state transportation if goods – both essential and non-essential – will be allowed after April 20th. Even the Highway “Dhabas” and truck repair shops and call-centres for government activities will be allowed to re-open from 20th April.
4. Manufacturing units where medical equipment and medicines are produced can be open as well from 20th April.
5. Manufacturing and other industrial plants but with access control will be allowed in SEZs, Industrial estates, EoUs, and industrial townships after implementation of the SOP for social distancing.
6. The manufacturing of essential goods, IT Hardware and packaging can also resume following point 5.
7. The RBI (Reserve Bank of India), Banks, ATMs, debt and capital markets as notified by SEBI, and the insurance companies will start functioning in order to provide liquidity and credit support to the industries.
8. The Guideline said, “To provide an impetus to the rural economy, industries operating in rural areas, including 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; and operation of rural Common Service Centres have all been allowed. These activities will create job opportunities for rural labor, including the migrant labor force,”.
Also Read: Railways To Cancel Almost 40 Lakh Tickets Booked For The Dates Between 15th April And 3rd May
9. Production of Coal, Oil, and Minerals will begin.
10. Supply fo milk, products made of milk, poultry, livestock farming and tea, coffee and rubber plantation will also receive the gree flan to start operating again.
11. The Central, State and Local bodies’ offices which are important to be opened will start operating but with only minimum required workforce.
12. The government said that the digital economy is critical at times like this to the services sector and national growth, hence, e-commerce, IT, IT enables services, Data and Call Cntres of government activities, and Online Teaching and Distant Learning will be permitted to operate after 20th April.
13. All Train, Air, Road Travel along with Educational Institutions, Industrial and commercial activities, Hotels, Shopping Complexes, Cinema Halls and Theatres will remain closed.
14. Social, Religious, Political, and other events and gatherings will not be allowed.
15. Religious centres will also remain closed
As many companies and organisations thought the lockdown would life after 14th April, they started taking booking but as PM Modi announced the lockdown will continue, IndiGO, SpiceJet, and Vistara said they will help customers with cancellation.
