MHA issues order to exempt certain activities regarding Minor Forest Produce, Plantations, NBFCs in Rural Areas from Lockdown Restrictions

Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued an order to exempt certain activities under the consolidated revised guidelines to all Ministries/Departments (https://www.mha.gov.in/sites/default/files/MHA%20order%20dt%2015.04.2020%2C%20with%20Revised%20Consolidated%20Guidelines_compressed%20%283%29.pdf), regarding the Nationwide lockdown to fight COVID-19.

The order exempts from lockdown restrictions certain activities as below:

Collection, harvesting and processing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP)/ Non-timber Forest Produce (NTFP) by Scheduled Tribes and other forest dwellers in forest areas.

Bamboo, coconut, arecanut, cocoa, spices plantations and their harvesting, processing, packaging, sale and marketing.

Non-banking financial institutions (NBFCs) including Housing Finance Companies (HFCs) and Micro Finance Companies (NBFC–MFIs), with bare minimum staff.
Cooperative Credit Societies.

Construction activities in rural areas to include water supply and sanitation , laying/erection of power transmission lines and laying of telecom optical fiber and cable along with related activities.