Odisha: Industrial work to continue during lockdown

BHUBANESWAR: All industrial, MSME, construction and mining activities would continue during the lockdown, which starts from Wednesday, to keep up the economic momentum.
Industries secretary Hemant Sharma said all industrial units have been directed to take adequate safety measures like thermal screening of their employees daily, use of masks and sanitisers and maintaining social distance.
“Corporate offices will be allowed to operate with 30% staff strength only while industrial units and workshops will allow employees by ensuring social distancing norms,” Sharma told TOI.
Construction activities both in the government and private sectors and movement of vehicles and labourers are also allowed both in urban and rural areas to facilitate livelihood opportunities. Brick kiln operations in rural areas outside the municipality and corporation areas have also been allowed.
Direction has been issued to follow the standard operating procedure (SOP) issued earlier at the construction sites and during movement of workers. Letter of the executive engineer of the concerned division to contractors/construction agencies will be treated as valid documents to allow travel of their personnel from home to work sites.
“Continuing industrial activities is crucial for the economy. We welcome the state government’s decision to allow such activities with strict adherence to Covid norms,” said Satwik Swain, secretary general of Odisha Assembly of Small and Medium Enterprises (OASME).
Similarly, all agricultural, horticulture and allied activities have also been allowed during the lockdown keeping in mind the rural economy and dependence of people on the sector. Around 70% of the state’s population depend on agriculture and allied activities.
All agriculture-related activities, including production, transportation, marketing and trading of agricultural produce and trading and selling of chemicals and pesticides, fertilizers, agriculture tools and machineries, fish-feed, dairy and plantation activities have been allowed during the lockdown, said a government official.
The state government has also allowed all activities related to kharif crop loan by banks like Odisha State Co-operative Banks, District Co-operative and Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies.