MHA relax lockdown, Assam Govt no relaxation

The Ministry of Home Affairs last night considerably relaxed the lockdown norms by opening all non-essential standalone shops but Assam Government is not relaxing it for the moment, indicating that they may do so from Monday next.

According to the late-night surprising notification, all standalone shops of non-essential commodities like a sweet shop or a watch shop or a mobile phone repairing shop located outside of any market complex will be opened from today, giving a serious boost to revive the economy.

In Assam however a decision to this effect shall be taken only on Monday next, i.e April 27, informed Assam Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna. Assam Government has not relaxed the lockdown rules yet and maintained with already declared rules.

However, some inter-district movements with severe restrictions have been allowed involving around 22,000 people and that too from non-red zone districts.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday allowed the opening of shops registered under the Shops and Establishment Act with some exceptions. As 80% of shops are in some sort of market complexes, there would not be much effect on the ground as there is confusion in the order.

The relaxations, however, are not applicable to the shops in shopping malls and hotspot areas.

Again market complexes within municipal areas will not be allowed to open. That means most of the shops of Guwahati are in some or some market complexes and they will not be able to open. Outside the municipal areas, it will be able to open.

"All shops registered underthe Shops and Establishment Act of the respective State/Union Territory,including shops in residential complexes and market complexes, except shops inmulti-brand and single-brand malls, outside the limits of municipalcorporations and municipalities, with 50 per cent strength of workers withwearing of masks and social distancing being mandatory," reads the MHAorder.

This is a huge relief and 90% of the common people's economy and need shall be covered by it. However, the traffic restriction shall remain in force, which means no public transport shall be there.

In easy terms, you will get all the shops open in your neighbourhood, but you can not drive your car to fancy Bazar and buy something.

Assam Government meanwhile has played cautious and has not followed the MHA notification and sought time. They will take a call on Monday, April 27.

#ImportantUpdate: @KrSanjayKrishna, Chief Secretary, Assam has informed that no relaxation of ongoing lockdown has yet been decided by the Govt of Assam like opening of shops, beauty parlours etc. A decision in this regard will be taken only on 27 April, 2020.

— DIPR Assam (@diprassam) April 25, 2020