TN government announces relaxations in lockdown
With Tamilnadu under a two-week lockdown to combat the deadly second wave sweeping across, the government on Tuesday announced relaxations for fruit shops and stores selling Indian medicines.
“Fruit shops can function till 12 pm during the lockdown. Similarly, medical shops selling allopathy medicines, Indian medicines are also permitted to operate,” the GO said.
The State also provided one-day relaxation for private companies to undertake necessary maintenance work with a minimum number of workers. Toll free helplines for continuous process industries exempted from shutting down during lockdown in case they face any trouble, were also announced.
Following a meeting with industrialists and traders, on Sunday, the government, on Tuesday, announced a series of sops, including Rs 280 crore allotment to the MSME sector.
“Out of the Rs 280 crore, 60 per cent of the funds, Rs 168 crore, will be dispatched immediately and steps will be taken to provide loans for MSMEs,” a government communique said.
It also extended relaxations for MSMEs from paying stamp duty on memorandum of deposit (MOD) while obtaining loans from banks and financial institutions till 31 December 2021. The licences required from various departments such as Tamilnadu Pollution Control Board, Fire and Rescue Department, Labour Department, Industries Department and commercial licences which would expire by May, were also extended till 31 December. For autos and taxis, exemption from paying road tax has been provided for three months.