Centre adds more activities to list of exemptions during coronavirus lockdown

The government on Friday added collection, harvesting of minor forest produce, non-timber forest produce by Scheduled Tribes and other forest dwellers in the list of exempted activities diring the coronavirus lockdown. 

The Ministry of Home Affairs added several items to the list of exempted activities in the consolidated guidelines for lockdown which was issued on Wednesday. 

Collection, harvesting and processing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP)/ Non-timber Forest Produce (NTFP) by Scheduled Tribes and other forest dwellers in forest areas will now be exempted during the lockdown period. Bamboo, coconut, arecanut, cocoa, spices plantations and their harvesting, processing, packaging, sale and marketing have also been exempted from the restriction imposed till May 3. 

Non-banking financial institutions (NBFCs) including Housing Finance Companies (HFCs) and Micro Finance Companies (NBFC--MFIs) have also been allowed to function with bare minimum staff. Cooperative Credit Societies have also been added to the list of exempted activities.

The order exempts construction activities in rural areas to include water supply and sanitation, laying and erection of power transmission lines and laying of telecom optical fiber and cable along with related activities from lockdown restrictions.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced an extension of nationwide lockdown to battle the novel coronavirus. The number of cases of COVID-19 in India has reached 13,835 while the death toll is at 452.