Jharkhand: Service centres, garages, motor workshops, jewellery shops can reopen

The Jharkhand government on Monday permitted some additional activities like opening of service centres, call centres of private companies and jewellery shops outside containment zones, in a bid to restart economic activities that have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new set of guidelines came through a notification issued by Chief Secretary Sukhdev Singh and will remain in force until June 30.

The guidelines said there was a need to take a cautious approach as many migrant labourers returned from states and countries severely affected by COVID-19. It was felt necessary to open up economic activities to ease hardships being faced by the people, the notification said.

As per a Ministry of Home Affairs order dated May 30, service centres of mobiles, watches, consumer electronics like TV/IT-related products like computers and consumer electrical products like refrigerators/air conditioners/air coolers are permitted to open in municipal-corporation areas, the state notification said.

It also allowed the opening of the jewellery shops and call centres of private companies in district headquarters and urban areas.

The state government allowed only home delivery and take-away from restaurants in district headquarters and urban areas.

Permission was also granted for intra-district public transport by auto-rickshaw, tempo, e-rickshaw and manual rickshaw.

Shops selling items such as furniture, kitchenware, utensils, crockery, watches and clocks, auto accessories, batteries, automobile, cycles, tractors, capital goods, heavy machinery, generators and electrical products like wire, switchgear, lights, fans, air coolers, geysers and inverters are allowed to open in district headquarter urban areas.

Garages and motor workshops are also permitted in district headquarter and urban areas, the state notification said.

All activities allowed prior to this order shall remain permitted, the notification said, adding the order shall come in force from June 1 and will remain effective till June 30.

Meanwhile, taking to Twitter, Chief Minister Hemant Soren renewed his request to the people to wear masks, strictly follow social distancing and take special care of the elders.

"Wash hands with water soap for at least 20 seconds. The relaxation has been given in lockdown but not in these precautionary measures. Follow these rules strictly," Soren tweeted.