FICCI suggests graded approach to unlock economic activities

Industry body Ficci has suggested a graded approach to resuming economic activity which balances lives and livelihoods based on Covid-19 positivity rate and categorises activities into manufacturing, services, retail and distribution, and social gatherings.

In a letter to commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal, it said that high touchpoint non-essential sectors such as leisure activities and retail should be permitted in a minimal risk situation (level 1) or total positivity rate below 2.5%.

“This restriction will prevail until a significant part of the population has been vaccinated with at least one dose,” Ficci said, and suggested forming isolation bubbles and imposing manpower restrictions in case of a high-risk situation (positivity rate above 10%).

Isolation bubble is defined as onsite accommodation for the workforce with maximum 10% managerial staff coming from outside.

If 60% staff of a unit is inoculated with one dose, the unit may be allowed to work unhindered, suggested Ficci.

The industry chamber proposed four levels of permissible economic activity based on total positivity rate in a district and said a trend of two weeks below the threshold is required to move to a lower risk level, which is equated with higher economic activity.

“However, one week of an increasing trend will trigger a stricter restriction on economic activity,” said Ficci, emphasising on surveillance testing on a continuous basis at points of entry such as airport and railway station where a certain number of people should be randomly tested, even if the number of cases comes down sharply.

While certain categories of units such as those producing essential goods, export-oriented units, continuous process industries and those connected to national security should be permitted to operate at all times, according to Ficci, they should be encouraged to create an ‘isolation bubble’ for their workforce which reduces the risk of the virus spreading. Similarly, any unit which is able to create an isolation bubble should be allowed to operate at all times even if it does not qualify as an essential and continuous process, it said.

In the services sector and private sector offices, Ficci favoured 50% staff attendance in low risk (2.5-5% positivity rate) and 33% in medium risk (5-10%) situations while in level 4, maintenance, security and critical infrastructure staff should be allowed, it said.

Similarly, it suggested 50% manpower for all essential services including banking, non-banking financial companies, microfinance institutions, fintech, communication, IT, exports, and data centres, cloud service providers, IT services supporting critical infrastructure and services if the positivity rate crosses 10%.

While public transport should reopen with 50% capacity, it should remain closed if the infection positivity rate is above 2.5%, said the industry chamber.

Ficci advocated timing and capacity restrictions on dine-in and takeaway of cooked food from restaurant or kitchen if the infection positivity rate is above 2.5%, and a complete shutdown if it rises further.

The chamber proposed that universities, colleges and schools, and religious places be closed across all levels of risk while only up to 20 people should be allowed at weddings and funerals.