The Ministry of Home Affairs issued lockdown guidelines on Wednesday after Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended the coronavirus lockdown till May 3. According to the latest guidelines issued by the MHA, economic activities like agriculture, IT, e-commerce and inter-state transport will be allowed after April 20 to “mitigate hardships to the public”, There will be no air, rail or inter-state travel till May 3, the guidelines stated.
Meanwhile, educational institutions, coaching centres, domestic and international air travel as well as train services will remain suspended till May 3 to stop the spread of coronavirus in the country. Also, gymnasiums, sports complexes, swimming pools, bars, cinema halls, malls and shopping complexes to remain closed till May 3.
The latest guidelines on coronavirus lockdown released by the MHA also stated that all social, political, sports, religious functions, places of worship shall be closed for public till May 3.
According to the guidelines, good processing, manufacturing units and industries will be allowed in rural areas amid the coronavirus lockdown. The supply chain of milk, milk products, poultry and live-stock farming and tea, coffee and rubber plantations will resume.
“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 (CSCs) have all been allowed.”
The latest guidelines by the home ministry stated that construction activities in the rural areas will be allowed during the coronavirus lockdown. Construction activities in municipal (urban) areas will only be allowed if workers are staying on-site.
Lockdown guidelines issued by the Home Ministry revealed Manufacturing of essential items including pharmaceutical products will continue despite lockdown curbs. Also, Mahatma Gandhi Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) works will also be allowed provided that all these activities in-state/Union Territories
The nation-wide lockdown is aimed to contain the spread of the pandemic that has killed over 370 people and infected over 11,000 in the country.