VIJAYAWADA: Essential commodities will only be sold from 6 am to 11 am in urban areas from now, while in rural areas, they will continue to be sold till 1 pm.
The State government announced this on Sunday after Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy held a review meeting with officials on steps needed to restrict the spread of coronavirus.
At the meeting, officials discussed aspects such as the number of rythu bazaars and grocery stores, the availability of essential goods, and to what extent allowing the public outdoors would help in controlling the crowds who go out to shop.
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When the proposal of reducing the lockdown-relaxation hours was mooted on Saturday, the Chief Minister told officials to first ensure essential commodities are available in sufficient quantities.
Chief Secretary Nilam Sawhney and other officials detailed the situation in the State and the measures being implemented, following which Jagan directed the officials to create an action plan taking into consideration the anti-Covid-19 steps taken worldwide.
At the field-level, village/ward volunteers, ANMs and ASHA workers must keep a close watch on every family and record their movement, the Chief Minister said. Officials told him hotspots have been identified in cities and towns, and measures are being implemented to prevent the spread of the virus.
Asserting that essential goods must only be sold at the prices suggested by the government, the Chief Minister said, “Stringent action will be taken against anyone found selling essential commodities above the suggested price. These shops must also display the price list and the number of the call centre to lodge complaints of overpricing.”
1 pm
The closing time for shops selling essential goods remains the same in rural areas. They will open at 6 am