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Industry bodies have urged the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to further clarify its order that has permitted neighbourhood shops and standalone shops outside of hotspot or containment zones to open shutters, during the lockdown.
Praveen Khandelwal, Secretary General, Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), said, “Despite order of the Union government and subsequent orders of State governments including Delhi, there is still confusion regarding what constitutes ‘neighbourhood shops’ and ‘standalone shops’. There are several interpretations by the Authorities and as such the shops allowed by the MHA order are yet to be open.” He said clarity is also needed on whether shopkeepers require passes from local authorities for opening shops.
Stating that there is lack of consensus between local administrations and law-enforcing agencies, CAIT has written to MHA for further clarification about neighbourhood shops and standalone shops.
Industry executives said only a few States have come out with guidelines and shopkeepers and traders are finding it difficult to re-open shops due to the confusion on the ground.
‘Market complex’ unclear
Kumar Rajagopalan, CEO, Retailers Association of India (RAI), also said the MHA circular is open to interpretation and more clarity is required for easier implementation. “We have told our members to get clarity from State and local officials before they reopen. RAI is willing to work with the government to make this process of opening retail easier without compromising on social distancing norms,” he said.
On Saturday, MHA had said that in rural areas, all shops except shopping malls will be allowed to open.
At the same time, in urban regions, all standalone, neighbourhood shops and shops in residential complexes will be allowed to operate but shops in markets/market complexes and malls cannot open. It also added that salons, restaurants and barber shops cannot open, while stating that e-commerce companies can only sell essential goods.
Rahul Mehta, Chief Mentor, Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI), said the definition of what constitutes “market complexes” is not clear.
He said most shops selling garments tend to be in malls and market clusters such as high streets.
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