COVID-19: MHA addresses issues faced by States and UTs in supply of essential goods

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday cleared the air around ground-level issues being faced by the states in ensuring a smooth flow of the supply chain of essential items amid the pan-nation lockdown. This was notified by Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla in a letter to states and union territories. 

READ: FMCG Giant Marico Ties Up With Swiggy, Zomato To Home Deliver Essential Food Items

MHA addresses issues pertaining to essential services

"Exception to sale (including through eCommerce), production, warehousing and transport of essential goods like food, groceries, fruits and vegetables, dairy and other milk products, meat and fish, animal fodder, seeds, fertilisers and pesticides, agriculture produce, drugs and pharmaceuticals, medical devices with raw and intermediaries have not been mentioned in the guidelines for transport of essential goods," said Bhalla

He further stated that the earlier letter dated March 29, clarified that grocery items shall include hygiene products, charger and battery cells.

"At the ground level different interpretations are being made on the items given exceptions, which hinder the smooth flow of supply chain of these essential items," he added.

READ: Jammu-Srinagar NH Partially Restored To Allow Trucks Carrying Essential Supplies To Reach Kashmir

Amid these developments, Bhalla has also written and clarified the issues with all State Chief Secretaries. The communication deals in detail with different categories of essential items exempt from the lockdown restrictions. In addition, the Home Secretary outlined a slew of measures that could be implemented at the ground level to ensure smooth supply of essential goods. The State/UT Governments have been advised to interpret food and grocery items as all items of food and grocery that are usually consumed by people on day to day basis.

Meanwhile, district authorities are issuing individual passes to businesses covered in the exempted category. Among this production, warehousing and transport of essential goods are included under exceptions. Even so, obstacles in obtaining the passes are being faced by establishments have a pan-nation supply chain. Therefore, the MHA has advised state and UT governments to issue authorization letters to companies, which will ensure easy movement of critical staff and workers in order to maintain their national supply chains.

READ: How To Get Curfew Pass Online For Services Providing Essential Goods In Delhi?

Railways, ports and Airports are allowed to issue passes for a critical mass of staff and contractual labour that are essential for the movement of essential goods, the Home Ministry said.

"Inter-state and Intra-state movement of all trucks and other goods/carrier vehicles should be facilitated by local authorities for licensed drivers and one helper," it added.

The Home Ministry further stated that all movement of persons with the passes shall be subject to strict adherence to norms for hygiene and social distancing as is required in the context of COVID-19. 

READ: 'Crisis Of Essential Medical Kits In Jharkhand,' Says Health Minister

(With ANI Inputs)