The Ministry of Home Affairs has allowed the opening of shops selling school books and research establishments dealing with the agriculture and horticulture activities during the ongoing nationwide lockdown.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has allowed shops selling school books and research establishments dealing with the agriculture and horticulture activities to remain open during the ongoing nationwide lockdown. As per the statement released by the Home Secretary, electric fans, services of bedside attendants of senior citizens and public utilities including recharge facilities for prepaid mobile phones will be allowed to remain operational during the lockdown period which has been extended until May 3.
Earlier, in second week of March, schools, colleges, and other educational institutions were shut across the country due to coronavirus outbreak. However, most of the institutions have adopted online platforms to conduct academic activities for the students.
"Within the above mentioned consolidated revised guidelines, the Government has exempted additional agricultural and forestry items, shops of educational books for students and shops of electric fans from lockdown restrictions to fight COVID19. Further, the MHA has also issued SOPs on sign-on/sign-off for Indian seafarers at Indian ports and their movement for the same," a Home Ministry statement said.
The home ministry also said bread factories and flour mills located in urban areas can restart operations. In separate orders, the home ministry said the decision has been taken after receiving some queries with regard to exemptions of specific services and activities allowed through the guidelines issued so far.
However, these relaxations mentioned above will not be applicable to hotspots or containment zones and these activities will not be permitted in these zones, the statement also said.
The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed 640 lives and infected 19,984 people in India so far, according to the Health Ministry.
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