Unlock 1 – Digital Transactions to zoom up, skyrocket

        Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs just announced the operating guidelines for Unlock 1. These guidelines are effective until 30^th June 2020.

        As the focus of Unlock 1 is mainly on the economy, it is expected that regular economic transactions will come back to pre-Lockdown numbers.

The focus in the last couple of months is on Digital Transactions especially Contactless Transactions.

        Digital transactions are those economic transactions in which the consideration is executed via Non-Cash modes. Few examples of Digital transactions are as under

o   Cheque

o   Card to Card Transfer

o   IMPS

o   NEFT

o   RTGS

o   eWallet

o   UPI

o   POS Transactions

o   AEPS

o   USSD

o   Prepaid cards

·        BBPS transactions too fall under the wide umbrella of digital transactions as the customers need not physically visit the bill payment counters of the respective billers. The bills can be settled via BBPS from the comfort of one’s homes.

As metro rails are not allowed in Unlock 1, metro systems will not contribute to the overall pool of digital transactions.

    The June 2020 Digital Transactions volumes will reflect the popularity of digital transactions in our country.

New Guidelines to fight COVID-19 to be effective from 1st June 2020

There should be strict enforcement of lockdown in Containment Zones. The containment zones are to be demarcated by State/ UT Governments based on Health Ministry guidelines

Unlock 1 to have an economic focus i.e phased re-opening of all activities outside Containment Zones;

Please note Night Curfew to be in force on the movement of individuals for all non-essential activities from 9 pm to 5 am

Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued new guidelines to fight COVID-19 and for phased re-opening of areas outside the Containment Zones, today. 

 The current phase of re-opening, Unlock 1, will have an economic focus. The new guidelines have been issued based on extensive consultations held with States and UTs.

Background:

A strict lockdown was imposed throughout the country since March 24, 2020.  All activities were prohibited except essential activities. Subsequently, in a graded manner and keeping the overarching objective of containing the spread of COVID-19 in view, the lockdown measures have been relaxed.

Salient features of the new guidelines for Go Live from June1st 2020.

Lockdown measures would continue to be implemented strictly in the containment zones. These will be demarcated by the State/ UT Governments, after taking into consideration the guidelines issued by the Health Ministry. Within the containment zones, strict perimeter control shall be maintained and only essential activities allowed.

All activities that were prohibited earlier would be opened up in areas outside Containment Zones in a phased manner, with the stipulation of following Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), to be prescribed by the Health Ministry:

Phase I (permitted to open from June 8, 2020)

·        Religious places and places of worship for public;

·        Hotels, restaurants and other hospitality services; and

·        Shopping malls.

Health Ministry would issue SOPs for the above activities, in consultation with the Central Ministries/ Departments concerned and other stakeholders, for ensuring social distancing and to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Phase II - Schools, colleges, educational/ training/ coaching institutions etc., will be opened after consultations with States and UTs.  State Governments/ UT administrations are being advised to hold consultations at the institution level with parents and other stakeholders. 

Based on the feedback, a decision on the re-opening of these institutions will be taken in the month of July, 2020.  MoHFW will prepare SOP for these institutions.

Limited number of activities to remain prohibited throughout the country -

·        International air travel of passengers;

·        Operation of Metro Rail;

·        Cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars and auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places; and,

·        Social/ political/ sports/ entertainment/ academic/ cultural/ religious functions/ and other large congregations.

Dates for the opening of above activities would be decided in Phase III, based on assessment of the situation.

Unrestricted Movement of Persons and Goods - No restriction on inter-State and intra-State movement of persons and goods.  No separate permission/ approval/ e-permit would be required for such movements.

However, if a State/ UT, based on reasons of public health and its assessment of the situation, proposes to regulate the movement of persons, it would give wide publicity in advance regarding the restrictions to be placed on such movement, and the related procedures to be followed.

National Directives for COVID-19 management would continue to be followed throughout the country, with a view to ensuring social distancing.  

 

States to decide on activities outside Containment Zones - States and UTs, based on their assessment of the situation, may prohibit certain activities outside the Containment zones or impose such restrictions, as deemed necessary.

Get ready for lots and lots of Safe Digital Transactions in the coming days.