Electricians, carpenters: Full list of services available from today as lockdown eases

Addressing the country last week, PM Modi had announced that the COVID-19 lockdown will be extended till May 3, with restrictions to be eased after April 20. The relaxation in restrictions, in select sectors outside the coronavirus hotspot areas, will come into effect from today. "Till April 20, all districts, localities, states will be closely monitored, as to how strictly they are implementing norms. We will have to keep a close watch on the places which are expected to be converted into hotspots. The creation of new hotspots will further challenge our hard work and our austerity," he had said.  

Later, in guidelines released by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the easing of restrictions were further spelt out. "To mitigate hardship to the public, select additional activities have been allowed which will come into effect from April 20, 2020. These limited exemptions will be operationalised by states/ UTs/ district administrations based on strict compliance to the existing guidelines."

E-commerce companies have been prohibited from selling non-essential items during the lockdown, as conditional relaxations in select sectors outside the coronavirus hotspot areas to kickstart the battered economy come into effect.

With states gearing up to revive limited business activity after the Centre announced easing some of the curbs on April 15, Union minister Prakash Javadekar on Sunday said more relief measures are bound to come if the country continues to manage the coronavirus crisis well, asserting, "you cannot [have] lockdown permanently".

"He [Modi] gave the call of lockdown at the right time and is now partially allowing economic activity while the lockdown continues. With such a [huge] population we have managed well, if this continues we will get more relief," Javadekar told PTI in an interview.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said some industrial activity in the green and orange COVID-19 zones in the state will be resumed in a restricted manner. "We have to turn this arthachakra (stuck wheel of the chariot of economy) from April 20."

But, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said his government has decided not to relax lockdown restrictions which is in force till May 3 as of now since coronavirus appears to be spreading at a "faster pace" in the national capital. The government will assess the situation again after one week, he said.

Labourers, who are stranded in different parts of the country due to the lockdown, will be allowed to go to their respective places of work within a state with certain conditions. However, there will be no inter-state movement of workers during the lockdown. Since additional activities, outside the containment zones, have been permitted in the 'consolidated revised guidelines' with effect from April 20, these workers could be engaged in industrial, manufacturing, construction, farming and MNREGA works.

Services provided by self-employed electrician, Information Technology(IT) repairs, plumbers, motor mechanics, carpenters will be allowed, giving relief to people looking for such facilities.

Agriculture, construction, Information Technology(IT), industrial units in the SEZs and rural areas and e-commerce operations were among the select sectors where the coronavirus-induced lockdown restrictions are to be lifted from April 20 in a bid to also reduce the distress caused to millions of people.

The permitted activities from April 20 are aimed at ensuring agricultural and related activities remain fully functional, rural economy functions with maximum efficiency, employment opportunities are created for daily wage earners and other members of labour force, select industrial activities are allowed to resume their operations, with safeguards and mandatory standard operating protocols and digital economy, the MHA said.

Highway 'dhaba' (eateries), truck repairing shops and call centres for government activities will remain open from April 20.

A full list of all relaxations, in select sectors outside coronavirus hotspots:

Health

Hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, telemedicine facilities.

Dispensaries, chemists, pharmacies, Jan Aushadhi Kendras and medical equipment shops.

Medical laboratories.

Pharmaceutical and medical research labs, COVID-19 research centres.

Veterinary hospitals, dispensaries, sale and supply of vaccine and medicine.

Establishments which support the provisioning of essential services, or efforts for containment of COVID-19, including home care providers, diagnostics, supply chain firms serving hospitals.Manufacturing units of drugs, pharmaceuticals, medical devices.

Medical/ health infrastructure constructions, including the manufacture of ambulances.

Commercial establishments allowed to function:

Print and electronic media including broadcasting, DTH and cable services.

IT and IT-enabled Services, with up to 50 per cent strength.

Data and call centres for government activities.

Courier services.

Cold storage and warehousing services, including at ports, airports, railway stations, container Depots, individual units and other links in the logistics chain.

Private security services and facilities management services for maintenance and upkeep of office and residential complexes.

Hotels, homestays, lodges and motels, which are accommodating tourists and persons stranded due to lockdown, medical and emergency staff, air and sea crew.

Establishments used/ earmarked for quarantine facilities.

Services provided by self-employed persons, electrician, IT repairs, plumbers, motor mechanics, and carpenters.

Movement of private persons allowed if:

Private vehicles can be for emergency services, including medical and veterinary care and for procuring essential commodities. In such cases, one passenger besides the private vehicle driver can be permitted in the backseat, in case of four-wheelers; however, in case of two-wheelers, only the driver of the vehicle is to be permitted.

All personnel travelling to the place of work and back in the exempted categories, as per the instructions of the state/ UT local authority.

Finance:

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and RBI regulated financial markets and entities like NPCI, CCIL, payment system operators and standalone primary dealers.

Bank branches and ATMs, IT vendors for banking operations, Banking Correspondents (BCs), ATM operation and cash management agencies.

Bank branches be allowed to work as per normal working hours till disbursal of DBT cash transfers is complete.

Local administration to provide adequate security personnel at bank branches and BCs to maintain social distancing. law and order and staggering of account holders.

SEBI, and capital and debt market services as notified by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

IRDAI and Insurance companies.

Social sector

Operation of homes for children/ disabled/ mentally challenged/ senior citizens/ destitute/ women/ widows.

Observation homes, aftercare homes and places of safety for juveniles.

Disbursement of social security pensions like old age/ widow/ freedom fighter pensions; pension and provident fund services provided by Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO).

Operation of anganwadis will be allowed, though no one will be allowed to attend it, with distribution of food items and nutrition once in 15 days at the doorsteps of children, women and lactating mothers.

Distance learning

All educational, training, coaching institutions etc. shall remain closed.

 

 

However, these establishments are expected to maintain the academic schedule through online teaching.

Maximum use of Doordarshan (DD) and other educational channels may be made for teaching purposes.

MGNREGA

 

MNREGA works are allowed with strict implementation of social distancing and face masks.

Priority to be given under MNREGA to irrigation and water conservation works.

Other Central and state sector schemes in irrigation and water conservation sectors may also be allowed to be implemented and suitably dovetailed with MNREGA works.

Public utilities

 

Operations of oil and gas sector, including refining, transportation, distribution, storage and retail of products, petrol, diesel, kerosene, CNG, LPG and PNG.

Generation, transmission and distribution of power at Central and state/ UT levels.

Postal services, including post offices.

Operations of utilities in water, sanitation and waste management sectors, at municipal/ local body levels in States and UTs.

Operation of utilities providing telecommunications and internet services.

 

Agriculture

Farming operations by farmers and farm workers in field.

Agencies engaged in procurement of agriculture products, including MSP operations.

'Mandis' operated by the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC).

Shops of agriculture machinery, its spare parts (including its supply chain) and repairs to remain open.

'Custom Hiring Centres (CHC)' related to farm machinery.

Manufacturing, distribution and retail of fertilisers, pesticides and seeds.

Inter-state movement of harvesting and sowing related machines like combined harvester and other agriculture/ horticulture implements.

Fisheries

Operations of the fishing (marine and inland)/ aquaculture industry, including feeding and maintenance, harvesting, processing, packaging, cold chain, sale and marketing.

Hatcheries, feed plants, commercial aquaria.

Movement of fish/ shrimp and fish products, fish seed/ feed and workers for all these activities.

Plantations

 

Operations of tea, coffee and rubber plantations, with maximum of 50 per cent workers.

 

Processing, packaging, sale and marketing of tea, coffee, rubber and cashew, with a maximum of 50 per cent workers.

 

Animal husbandry

 

Collection, processing, distribution and sale of milk and milk products by milk processing plants, including transport and supply chain

Operation of animal husbandry farms including poultry farms & hatcheries and livestock farming activity.

Animal feed manufacturing and feed plants, including supply of raw material, such as maize and soya.

 

Operation of animal shelter homes, including gaushalas.

Movement of cargo

All goods traffic will be allowed to ply.

Operations of Land Ports for cross land border transportation of essential goods, including petroleum products and LPG, food products, medical supplies.

Movement of all trucks and other goods/ carrier vehicles with two drivers and one helper subject to the driver carrying a valid driving license; an empty truck/ vehicle will be allowed to ply after the delivery of goods, or for pick up of goods.

Shops for truck repairs and dhabas on highways, with a stipulated minimum distance as prescribed by the State/ UT authorities.

Movement of staff and contractual labour for operations of railways, airports/ air carriers, seaports/ ships/ vessels. Land ports and ICDs are allowed on passes being issued by the local authority on the basis of authorizations issued by the respective designated authority of the railways, airports, seaports, land ports and 1CDs.

Supply of essential goods

All facilities in the supply chain of essential goods, whether involved in manufacturing, wholesale or retail of such goods through local stores, large brick and mortar stores or e-Commerce companies should be allowed to operate, ensuring strict social distancing without any restriction on their timing of opening and closure.

Shops (including kirana and single shops selling essential goods) and carts, including ration shops (under PDS), dealing with food and groceries (for daily use), hygiene items, fruits and vegetables, dairy and milk booths, poultry, meat and fish, animal feed and fodder etc, should be allowed to operate, ensuring strict social distancing without any restriction on their timing of opening and closure.

District authorities may encourage and facilitate home delivery to minimise the movement of individuals outside their homes.

Industries:

Industries operating in rural areas, outside the limits of municipal corporations and municipalities.

Manufacturing and other industrial establishments with access control in Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Export Oriented Units (EoUs), industrial estates, and industrial townships. These establishments shall make arrangements for the stay of workers within their premises

Manufacturing units of essential goods, including drugs, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, their raw material and intermediates.

Food processing industries in rural areas, outside the limits of municipal corporations and municipalities.

Production units, which require a continuous process, and their supply chain.

Manufacturing of IT hardware.

Coal production, mines and mineral production, their transportation, a supply of explosives and activities incidental to mining operations.

Manufacturing units of packaging material.

Jute industries with staggered shifts and social distancing.

Oil and gas exploration/ refinery.

Brick kilns in rural areas, outside the limits of municipal corporations and municipalities.

Construction activities:

Construction of roads, irrigation projects, buildings and all kinds of industrial projects, including MSMEs, in rural areas, outside the limits of municipal corporations and municipalities; and all kinds of projects in industrial estates.

Construction of renewable energy projects.

Continuation of works in construction projects, within the limits of municipal corporations and municipalities, where workers are available on site and no workers are required to be brought in from outside (in situ construction).