Coronavirus COVID-19 lockdown 2.0: A complete list of activities permitted after April 20

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 14 extended the 21-day nationwide lockdown till May 3 to curb the spread the spread of coronavirus COVID-19 in the country due to the rising number of cases in the country.

The lockdown has badly affected the economy and the lives of low-income earners and that's why the Centre has decided to permit some more essential services to function in areas that are not coronavirus containment zones after April 20.

“In order to mitigate hardship to the public, select additional activities would be allowed, which would come into effect from 20th April 2020. However, these additional activities would be operationalized by States/ Union Territories (UTs)/ District Administrations based on strict compliance to the existing guidelines on lockdown measures. Before operating these relaxations, States/ UTs/ District Administrations shall ensure that all preparatory arrangements with regard to social distancing in offices, workplaces, factories and establishments, and other sectoral requirements are in place,” The Ministry of Home Affairs had said in an official statement.

Additional guidelines had been issued by the Centre permitting a few more activities for non-containment zones post April 20. Here is a complete list of what is allowed and what is not in select areas across the country from April 20 (Tuesday) as shared by government's citizen portal MyGov

What is permitted?

Financial services

- RBI and other RBI regulated financial markets and entities
- Banks, ATM and IT vendors involved in banking operations
- SEBI and capital and debt market services
- IRDAI and insurance companies

Commercial services

- Print and electronic media
- IT services but with around 50% workforce
- Data and call centres for government activities
- CSCs at panchayat level
- E-commerce functions for non-essential items such as mobile phone, laptops, refrigerators, etc.

Courier services

- Cold storage and warehousing
- Private security and facilities management services; hotels, homestays, etc.
- Establishment working as quarantine facilities
- Self-employed services like electricians, plumbers, carpenters, etc.

Movement of people

- Private vehicles for getting essential commodities and medical emergency services 
- In case of a four-wheeler, only one passenger in the back seat is permitted beside the driver
- Only one driver is permitted for two-wheelers
- People travelling to their workplace as exempted by State/Union Territory/Local authority

Social services

- Home for children, juveniles, divyang (handicapped), elderly, observation homes, aftercare homes etc. will be allowed to function. 
- Disbursement of social security pensions and provident fund by EPFO
- Operation of Anganwadis

Agricultural activities

- Farming operations in fields
- Functioning of agencies/firms engaged in getting agricultural products
- Machinery shops
- Custom hiring centres
- Services related to fertilizers and seeds
- APMC markets and Mandis
- Direct marketing operations for agriculture
- Harvesting and sowing
- Operation of fishing like processing and sale, hatcheries, commercial aquaria
- Plantations of tea, coffee and rubber allowed with a maximum 50 per cent workers
- Animal husbandry including distribution and sale of milk products, animal shelter homes, etc.

Health services

- Hospitals and nursing homes
- Telemedicine facilities
- Dispensaries and medical shops
- Medical research, COVID-19 related labs and collection centres
- Private establishments authorised by government
- Veterinary hospitals, dispensaries and clinics, sale and supply of vaccine and medicines
- Manufacturing units, medical devices and construction of health infrastructure
- Movement of all medical personnel, scientists, nurses, paramedical staff, lab technicians

Industrial establishments

- Industries in rural areas
- SEZ and export-oriented units
- Industrial estates and industrial townships
- Manufacturing units of essential goods
- Industries producing IT hardware
- Food processing units, jute industries
- Coal and mineral production, O&G refinery and brick kilns in rural areas
- Construction activities including roads, irrigation projects, renewable energy projects and construction projects at municipal level

Cargo and essential services

- Transportation of cargo inter and intrastate by air, rail, land and sea routes
- Carrier vehicles with only two drivers and one helper are allowed
- Empty vehicles for delivery/pick up of goods
- The supply chain of essential goods like manufacturing, wholesale, retail, shops/ carts for essential goods
- Large bricks and mortar stores, dhabas and truck repair shops on the highway, movement of staff and labourers for essential services

Additional services

- Collection, harvesting and processing of minor forest produce, non-timber forest produce 
- Bamboo, coconut, areca nut, cocoa, spices plantations and their harvesting sale and marketing
- NBFCs including Housing Finance and Micro Finance companies with bare minimum staff, cooperative credit societies
- Construction activities in rural areas to include water supply and sanitation, power, telecom and cable lines.

What will remain closed?

- Domestic and international air travel
- Passenger trains, buses, metro, taxis
- Interstate transport except for security and medical purposes
- Industrial and commercial activities
- Hospitality services
- Educational, training and coaching institutions
- Cinema halls, malls, gyms, bards, pools, entertainment parks, assembly halls, etc.
- All social, political, sports, complexes, religious places and other gatherings.

What about hotspots?

The above mentioned exemptions given after April 20 will not be applicable to hotspots and the containment zones in hotspots will be demarcated by state governments. In containment zone, strict control has to be put in place to ensure no unchecked inward outward movement except for essential services.