The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) today issued revised guidelines on measures to be taken for containment of the deadly coronavirus that has killed 377 and infected 11,439 people so far in India. It has listed out several activities that are prohibited. In the case of the financial sector, it has listed out the services that can remain functional. The important components of the financial sector, e.g., Reserve Bank of India (RBI), banks, ATMs, capital and debt markets as notified by SEBI and insurance companies will also remain functional, the order said.

Financial sector: Following to remain open

1) Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and RBI regulated financial markets and entities like NPCI, CCIL, Payement system operators and standalone primary dealers

2) Bank branches and ATMs, IT vendors for banking operations. Banking Correspondents (BCs), ATM operations and cash management agencies.

a) Bank branches be allowed to work as per normal working hours till disbursal of DBT cash transfers is complete.

b) Local administration to provide adequate security personnel at bank branches and BCs to maintain social distancing law and order and staggering of account holders.

3) SEBI and capital and debt market services as notified by the Securities and Excchange Board of India (SEBI)

4) Irdai and insurance companies.

The revised guidelines will not apply in containment zones, as demarcated by states, UTs and district administration."If any new area is included in the category of containment zone, the activities allowed in that area till the time of its categorization as a containment zone, will be suspended except for those activities as are specifically permitted under the guidelines of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW)."

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) today issued revised guidelines on measures to be taken for containment of the deadly coronavirus that has killed 377 and infected 11,439 people so far in India. It has listed out several activities that are prohibited. In the case of the financial sector, it has listed out the services that can remain functional. The important components of the financial sector, e.g., Reserve Bank of India (RBI), banks, ATMs, capital and debt markets as notified by SEBI and insurance companies will also remain functional, the order said.

Financial sector: Following to remain open

1) Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and RBI regulated financial markets and entities like NPCI, CCIL, Payement system operators and standalone primary dealers

2) Bank branches and ATMs, IT vendors for banking operations. Banking Correspondents (BCs), ATM operations and cash management agencies.

a) Bank branches be allowed to work as per normal working hours till disbursal of DBT cash transfers is complete.

b) Local administration to provide adequate security personnel at bank branches and BCs to maintain social distancing law and order and staggering of account holders.

3) SEBI and capital and debt market services as notified by the Securities and Excchange Board of India (SEBI)

4) Irdai and insurance companies.

The revised guidelines will not apply in containment zones, as demarcated by states, UTs and district administration."If any new area is included in the category of containment zone, the activities allowed in that area till the time of its categorization as a containment zone, will be suspended except for those activities as are specifically permitted under the guidelines of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW)."