Coronavirus lockdown: These sectors should begin operations, DPIIT recommends

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The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has informed that some more activities with reasonable safeguards should be allowed to operate once a final decision regarding extension and nature of lockdown is taken by the central government.

"These new activities are essential to improve the economic activity and provide liquidity in the hands of the people," DPIIT secretary Guruprasad Mohapatra said in the letter to the ministry of home affairs.

Mohapatra reasoned that the industrial units which may be allowed to operate must meet five conditions. It should have a single entry points for workers, sufficient space to ensure social distancing, use of separate transport to ferry workers if they can’t be accommodated in the factory premises and high quality regular sanitisation of the premises. Also, state and district authorities, while allowing these new activities, should ensure strict observance of these conditions.

The first ones to be permitted could be large industrial units that have proper sanitation and distancing norms in place such as textiles, automobiles and electronic manufacturing. To begin with, they could start with utilising only 20% to 25% capacity in a single shift.

The DPITT letter also listed 16 sectors that could be allowed this plan. This list includes heavy electrical items like transformers and circuit vehicles, telecom equipment and components including optic fibre cable, compressor and condenser units, steel and ferrous alloy mills, spinning and ginning mills, power looms, defence and defence ancillary units, cement plants, pulp and paper units, fertiliser plants, paints and dyes manufacturing, all types of food and beverages, seeds processing units, plastic manufacturing units, automotive units, gems and jewellery sector units (big and organised) and all units in Special Economic Zones and export-oriented units.

These suggestions have been received after detailed interaction of commerce minister Piyush Goyal with the various states and industry bodies.

MSMEs with export commitments need to be allowed to operate with minimal manpower and necessary movement of material as a new entity, the letter said.

"While granting passes, the concerned authorities may check details of the export commitments and allow accordingly," the letter said.

Industries dealing with heavy electrical items like transformers and circuit vehicles, telecom equipment and components, and fertilizer plants among others, should be allowed to operate with minimum manpower and proper sanitation and distancing norms/safeguards on a single shift basis.

The industries which shall be allowed to operate must ensure single entry points for workers, sufficient space for ensuring social distancing, use of separate transport for ferrying workers or provide stay arrangements in factory premises, and high quality regular sanitization of the premises.

State and district authorities, while allowing these new activities, should ensure strict observance of these conditions, the letter said.

In another letter, the home ministry asked state governments to allow unrestricted movement of transport vehicles carrying essential and non-essential goods.

The letter said that trucks carrying essential and non-essential goods are being detained, workers needed for operation of manufacturing units of essential goods, and other exempted categories are not getting authorisations/passes for their movement during lockdown.

The restrictions, with regard to activities specifically permitted by the home ministry, have the potential of creating shortages of essential commodities, the letter said.

With a view to bringing in clarity at the implementation level, the following are being reiterated for strict observance by authorities at various levels.

Inter-state and intra-state movement of all trucks and other goods/carrier vehicles with one driver and one additional person is allowed as long as the driver is carrying a valid driver''s license.

This is irrespective of the nature of the cargo, whether essential or otherwise. No further permit or approval would be required, the home secretary said.