Bedside attendants of Sr citizens, recharge facilities for pre-paid mobile allowed during lockdown

New Delhi, Apr 21 (PTI)  The Union Home Ministry on Tuesday said bedside attendants of senior citizens and public utilities including recharge facilities for prepaid mobile connection will be allowed to offer services, while bread factories and flour mills located in urban areas can also start operations during the ongoing lockdown. In an order, the home ministry said the decision has been taken after receiving some queries with regard to exemptions of specific services and activities allowed through the guidelines issued so far.

Bedside attendants and care givers of senior citizens residing in their homes and public utilities including recharge facilities for prepaid mobile connection will be allowed to offer services, the ministry said in its order. Food processing units such as bread factories, milk processing plants, flour mills, dal mills etc., located in urban areas will be allowed to function during the lockdown.

However, the ministry made it clear that social distancing for offices, workshops, factories and establishments must be ensured. District authorities and field agencies should be informed of the order accordingly so as to avoid ambiguity at the ground level, it said.

The lockdown was first announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24 in a bid to combat the coronavirus pandemic. It was further extended till May 3..