VIJAYAWADA: Following the lockdown relaxations granted by the Centre on April 20 to resume economic activity, the State government has issued additional guidelines for commencing economic activity. Functioning of industries outside containment clusters in rural areas will now be facilitated.
To overcome manpower-related issues, a Government Order (GO) issued by the Industries department on Wednesday modified the earlier relaxations and allowed inter-mandal movement of workers. However this is only between green zones.
Guidelines were also issued to relax the lockdown for the agriculture and business sectors. These, however, will be applicable only in non-containment zones and physical distancing norms would have to be followed.
The modifications to the earlier guidelines were made following representations from the industrial community from districts such as Nellore, Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam.
Meanwhile, relaxations were also granted for plying of vehicles used by e-commerce platforms, as long as they have the required permission.
As summer has set in and the academic year is likely to begin, permission was given to open shops selling electric fans and educational books.
All shops registered under the Shops and Establishment Act, including those in residential complexes and market complexes outside the municipal corporation and municipality limits will be allowed to open with 50 per cent of workers. Staff, however, must wear masks and ensure physical distancing.
Shops in multi-brand and single-brand malls will have to remain shut. Neighbourhood stores and standalone shops, and those in the limits of municipal corporations and municipalities can be opened.
In other sectors, relaxations were given for collection, harvesting and processing of minor forest produce/non-timber forest produce (NTFP) by Scheduled Tribes and other forest dwellers in forest areas.
Plantation, harvesting, processing, packaging, marketing and sale of bamboo, coconut, arecanut, cocoa, and spices are also permitted.
In the financial sector, non-banking financial institutions (NBFCs), including Housing Finance Companies (HFCs) and Micro Finance Institutions, can be operated with bare minimum staff.
Relaxations were also given for construction work in rural areas and work related to water supply and sanitation, laying/erection of power transmission lines and laying of telecom optical fibre cables and related activities.
Additional guidelines
With respect to agricultural and horticultural, facilities for export/import such as pack houses, inspection and treatment facilities for seeds and horticulture produce, research establishments dealing with agriculture and horticulture activities were given relaxations.
“Inter and intra-state movement of planting materials and honeybee colonies, honey and other beehive products is also allowed,’’ the GO read.
Further, all agricultural and horticultural activities will be allowed to resume. This includes farming, agencies engaged in procurement of agriculture products, including MSP operations, ‘Mandis’ operated by Agriculture Produce Market Committee.
Shops selling agriculture machinery, spare parts (including supply chain) and repairs will be allowed along with manufacturing, distribution and retail sale of fertilizers, pesticides and seeds.
Movement, both inter and intra state, of harvesting and sowing machines is also allowed.