The state’s apex trade body approached the chief secretary on Wednesday for allowing industrial units located in rural areas to start working at the earliest, so as to start a revival of the economy where possible.

The Federation of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FJCCI) wrote the letter to Jharkhand’s new chief secretary Sukhdev Singh immediately after Union home secretary A.K. Bhalla issued an order earlier in the day, allowing limited activities in select sectors with effect from April 20.

The order is signed by Bhalla in his capacity as chairperson, National Executive Commitee, is an effort “to mitigate hardship to the public”.

Signed on April 15, the Union home secretary said activities will be allowed in manufacturing and other industrial units in special economic zones (SEZ), export-oriented units, industrial estates and townships, and food processing units, besides manufacturing of essential goods, coal production and mining.

Such activities “will be operationalised by states/ Union territories/ district administrations based on strict compliance to the existing guidelines on lockdown measures”, the order of the Union home secretary stated.

The order also mandated strict safety measures.

It said that all preparatory measures with regard to social distancing had to be maintained in the industrial units that were located in rural areas or outside the city limits.

These industrial establishments will make arrangements for the stay of workers within the premises or at adjacent buildings, and social distancing has to be ensured for their stay, the order added.

Citing Bhalla’s order in the FJCCI letter, president of the federation Kunal Ajmani requested Jharkhand chief secretary Singh to allow functioning of such industrial units in the state that are located in rural areas at the earliest.