Even as Odisha is battling the coronavirus crisis and going to remain under the second phase of lockdown till April 30, the State Government made a few exemptions on Monday.
Addressing a Press meet, Special Relief Commissioner Pradeep Jena said transportation of seeds, movement of tractor would be allowed during the second phase of lockdown. Vegetables would be procured directly from farmer producer organisations. All cold storages and godowns would be kept open.
Jena said that in view of the harvesting of Rabi crop and the upcoming Kharif season, the Government has decided to exempt farming and the subsequent irrigation of the farmlands in the second phase of lockdown. Movement of the equipments and vehicles like tractors would be allowed during this period. All shops relating to manure, sale and repair of agricultural equipments would also remain open.
“All cooperative banks and LAMPSCS will remain open for the farmers for availability of loans for the Kharif season. The programmes under MGNREGA, PMAY, Biju Pucca Ghar and Swachh Bharat will continue too,” he said.
Fisheries and Animal Husbandry-related activities, food processing and packing units, veterinary services, marine fisheries and hatchery activities, chemical testing, fertiliser testing and seed testing laboratories, plantation and nursery activities have been exempted from the lockdown rules, he added.
In a relief for truckers and transporters, the roadside dhabas and restaurants would be allowed to open but only for takeaway and home-delivery purposes. No food can be consumed there
Jena said home delivery of all kinds of products and courier services by platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, Blue Dart, DTDC and BigBasket would also resume in the remaining lockdown period..
The exemptions made earlier by both the Central and State Governments during the lockdown would remain intact. Besides, the Government would also issue a special set of lockdown norms which would be implemented in the capital city Bhubaneswar during the second phase of lockdown, said Jena.