New Delhi: Activities like agriculture, IT, e-commerce and inter-state transport will be allowed after April 20 to “mitigate hardships to public”, the government said today in new guidelines issued a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended the coronavirus lockdown till May 3.
Farming operations, including procurement of agricultural products and agriculture marketing through notified mandis and direct and decentralized marketing will be allowed in areas that are not COVID-19 hotspots after April 20. 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.”