Industry bodies have welcomed the extension of lockdown and  the detailed guidelines issued by Home Ministry towards operationalizing the lifting of the lockdown post April 20 after reviewing the ground situation.

Secretary General FICCI Dilip Shenoy thanked Government for accepting their suggestion of the staggered exit from the lockdown, with the complete lockdown continuing only in hotspots to save lives and livelihoods. He said, the period coincides with the harvesting of the rabbi crop and the opening up of the agriculture and allied sectors and the graded lifting of lockdown in key non-essential sectors will alleviate the hardships being faced by the public at large and give opportunities to daily wage earners and other under privileged sections of society.

CII President Vikram Kirloskar welcomed the extension and expressed happiness that many essential sectors which encourage employment will open after 20th April.

CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee said,  Prime Minister has provided guidance on exit from the lockdown after April 20 which will help the industry plan better. He said, the extension gives the government adequate preparation time to organise an orderly and safe restart of the eeconomy. Mr Banerjee said, the industry too can devise its strategies for commencing operations accordingly during this extension period.