The government has announced fresh exemptions to revised guidelines for lockdown, this time for the rural areas of the country.
Construction activities in Rural India for water supply and sanitation will restart now, as will operations of non-banking financial companies and cooperative credit societies.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs had on April 14 issued revised guidelines for the lockdown after Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended the stay-at-home period by two weeks.
In a communication to all states and union territories on Friday, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said:
- Collection, harvesting and processing of minor forest produce, non-timber forest produce by scheduled tribes and other forest dwellers will also be allowed.
- Construction activities in rural areas, including water supply and sanitation, laying and erection of power transmission lines and laying of telecom optical fibre and cable will be allowed.
- NBFCs will be allowed to function with minimum staff. Cooperative credit societies too are exempted from the lockdown.
- Bamboo, coconut, arecanut, cocoa, spices plantation and their harvesting, processing, packaging, sale and marketing are allowed.
Also Read: India Is Set For 25% Contraction This Quarter On Lockdown
The lockdown was first announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24 in a bid to combat the coronavirus pandemic. It was further extended till May 3.
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