The Union Health Ministry has issued a notification to include more services/activities that have been exempted from being halted during the 21 day pan-India lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday to combat the spread of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)
The notification issued on Wednesday comprises of an addendum to be read with the guidelines issued by the Government yesterday, which would dictate the services or activities permitted to continue while the rest of the country remains in lockdown.
#IndiaFightsCOVID19
MHA issues an Addendum to the guidelines issued yesterday reg. #lockdownindia and lays down additional categories of essential goods and services exempted under the Disaster Management Act. https://t.co/En4MwrN3IA pic.twitter.com/dqrYlIviya— Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) March 25, 2020
It has now been informed that the following functions or activities also stand exempted from the 21-day lockdown:
Offices of the Government of India
The Government “Treasury” has already been exempted vide the guidelines issued yesterday. It is now clarified that the term “Treasury” would include Pay & Accounts Officers, Financial Advisors, field offices of the Controller General of Accounts;
Further it has been added that the RBI, RBI Regulated financial markets, entities such as NPCI and CCIL, payment system operators and standalone primary dealers would also stand exempted
Offices of the Government of States/UTs
It has been clarified that the exempted category of “Treasury” includes the field offices of the Accountant General
Hospitals and related Medical establishments
Veterinary hospitals, pharmacies (including Jan Aushadhi Kendra), Pharmaceutical research labs stand exempted.
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Additional Commercial and Private establishments exempted
IT Vendor for banking operations, Banking Correspondent and ATM operation and cash management agencies
Shops for seeds and pesticides
Data and call centres for Government activities only
Industrial establishments additionally exempted
Manufacturing units of essential goods, including drugs, pharmaceutical, medical devices, their raw material and intermediates
Coal and mineral production, transportation, supply of explosives and activities incidental to mining operations,
Manufacturing units of packaging material for food items, drugs, pharmaceutical and medical devices
Transport services additionally exempted
Operation of Railways, Airports and Seaports for cargo movement, relief and evacuation and their related operational organisations
Inter-state movement of goods/cargo for inland and exports
Cross land border movement of essential goods including petroleum products and LPG, food products, medical supplies.