The Home Ministry spokesman said that the process of permitting and amendment was dynamic and when the list of items that e-commerce firms were able to distribute was scrutinized, it was found to be too extensive, lockdown to include Kovid Raising concerns- 19 is being compromised. Home Ministry officials also said that the renewed ban on e-commerce would ensure a “level playing field” with smaller retailers. Till now, only grocery stores, meat, fruit and vegetable vendors and pharmacies are allowed to function.
The amendment was accompanied by a dose of politics. Congress said on Saturday that the rules were in favor of the e-commerce platform. Congress leader Ajay Maken said.
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Government sources said that when the Congress was supporting this position, states like Rajasthan and Maharashtra were opening up all the goods for e-commerce.
In an order on Sunday, Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla Excluded from the revised MHA guidelines issued only four days ago, the subsection allows e-commerce companies to operate and drive their vehicles with the necessary permissions in non-containment areas from April 20.
However, the delivery of essential items such as groceries and hygiene products by e-commerce companies will continue.
Merchant organization, which includes organizations BJP And the RSS had protested against the move to remove all restrictions on e-commerce firms, saying the decision had hurt them. Association like CAIT (Confederation) All India Traders) Welcomed the clarification of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Reconsideration by the Ministry of Home Affairs also occurs when e-tailers started accepting advance orders for phones, tablets and TVs. Since these were to be distributed only from April 20, now e-commerce companies can refund the payments.
Sources said that there was a realization within the government that allowing e-commerce in non-essential items while keeping the local retail store closed – as opposed to the case of essential goods, which can be sold by both – with the latter Will discriminate. home Minister Amit ShahAdmitting the concerns of small retailers, it is said that e-commerce firms have been cleared to ban the sale of non-essential items.
Secretary General of CAIT Praveen Khandelwal On Sunday, the ministry said its objections had been accepted. Joint Secretary in Ministry of Home Affairs Punya Salila Srivastava The daily joint briefing on Sunday stated that the Kovid-19 situation was very dynamic and the government was taking decisions on a day-to-day basis.
When the government felt the inventory was long and allowed non-essential items to be sold through e-commerce platforms, the proper implementation of the lockdown could be effected, the decision was reviewed and reversed .
Meanwhile, the Home Secretary on Sunday wrote to all states and union territories clarifying that there is a ban on the operation of e-commerce companies for non-essential items, they can continue for essential items.
Bhalla requested the Chief Secretaries to make it clear to all the field agencies and publicize it adequately among the general public so that the supply chain of essential commodities, including e-commerce firms, could operate smoothly.
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