Mar 26, 2020
The Central Govt has instructed Union Territories (UTs) and all states, as not to block or close food processing units, and maintain uninterrupted supply amid lockdown in the country in wake of the outbreak of coronavirus.
The Department for Promotion of Industry & Internal Trade (DPIIT) has issued “clear instructions” to state government authorities to ensure smooth functioning of interstate movement of goods for the food processing industry, especially for e-commerce units.
Staff, operators, workers and transport vehicles are to be granted special permissions to ensure operational feasibility and maintain uninterrupted supply of food and food products.
“Clear advisory to ensure interstate movement of goods for the food processing industry to ensure uninterrupted movement and supply of goods and services; specifically for e-commerce, food processing, delivery boys and movement of trucks,” DPIIT secretary Guruprasad Mohapatra said in a letter dated March 23 to the chief secretaries of all states.
The standing instructions has comes after unfavourable reports of local administration and police stopping staff of e-commerce and other grocery retailers, thereby hampering supplies and deliveries.
Many online businesses have also sought the government’s intervention to allow supplies of food products including door-to-door delivery.
In order to prevent panic buying and stocking and avoid inconvenience, the DPIIT also advised, all grocery and retails, wholesale units, chemists/pharmacies, should be allowed to remain open under observed timings.
To safeguard consumer items are readily available, all food processing companies should be permitted to keep their manufacturing units open under the “strictest of safety and hygiene guidelines”.
“Any exclusive order or Section 144 restrictions should include the exemption of these manufacturing facilities, distribution and sales channels servicing the food and beverages market, including food delivery services as also employees associated with such activities,” Mohapatra said in the letter.
PM Modi declared a three-week nationwide lockdown starting midnight 25th March, explaining that it was the only way of level out the loop of Covid-19 pandemic situation.
The DPIIT also said that workers and operators at retail outlets, pharmacies and manufacturing units be allowed to travel to their units provided they carry Identity Card with them.
Transport vehicles carrying raw materials, intermediates to and from the food processing units are to be granted special permission and this has to be explicitly included in the local administration orders to avoid any confusion, the letter stated.