‘Resume Economy with Reasonable Safeguards’: DPIIT to MHA

DPIIT writes to MHA as the end of the 3-week lockdown nears and the Centre mulls easing restrictions on services.

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The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) in a series of recommendations to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Sunday, 12 April, stated that certain identified industries and services should be allowed to resume limited activity with “reasonable safeguards”, as the Centre mulls easing some restrictions during the likely extended coronavirus lockdown beyond 14 April.

“These new activities are essential to improve the economic activity and provide liquidity in the hands of the people,” the DPIIT said in its letter to Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla.

"It is felt that certain more activities with reasonable safeguards should be allowed once a final decision regarding extension and nature of lockdown is taken by the central government," the letter said, making a strong push for these activities in addition to those already allowed under various notifications of the MHA.

The letter also noted that other ministries like the agriculture ministry may be approaching the MHA separately for allowing activities like harvesting etc which are considered crucial.

Further, it has stated that housing and construction sectors need to be allowed if the labourers stay at the sites with all facilities and safeguards. Contractors shall ensure safety, sanitation and distancing norms.

It suggested that all transport vehicles of all sizes, whether inter-state, intra-state or intra-city, need to be allowed, whether empty or full, by all enforcement agencies without asking any question.

In a communication to chief secretaries of all states and union territories on Monday, Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla stated that inter-state and intra-state movement of all trucks and other goods/carrier vehicles with one driver and one additional person is allowed as long as the driver is carrying a valid driver's licence.

It has also asked for certain repairing units like those individuals or small agencies involved in providing repair services in mobile, refrigerator, air conditioner, television, plumbing, cobblers, ironing (dhobi), electrician, automobile mechanics, cycle to be allowed.

The department has stated that all street vendors like fruit and vegetable sellers should be allowed by the states in order to improve doorstep delivery and also to provide much needed liquidity to this population.

Lockdown Likely to be Extended

The 21-day lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in place from 25 March in a bid to halt the spread of COVID-19 and is scheduled to end on Tuesday,14 April midnight.

Four states – Telangana, Maharashtra, Punjab and Odisha – have already extended the coronavirus lockdown in their respective territories till 30 April.

A broad consensus has emerged that the national lockdown should be extended by at least two weeks after a meeting between Prime Minister Modi and state chief ministers on Saturday.

Several chief ministers at the same time have pushed for resumption of some economic activities like in the farming sector in regions with no COVID-19 cases.

The Centre in consultation with states is moving to restart economic activities in a graded manner in what is seen as a nuanced change in strategy from saving lives a month ago to saving lives as well as livelihoods now in the fight against the pandemic.