G.O. Ms. No. 196, Amendment to Notification of Disaster Management, Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19), 2020
The Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Disaster Management Wing, DM II Section, issued G.O. Ms. No. 196 dated 17 April 2020 to amend Tamil Nadu's Consolidated Revised Guidelines for COVID-19 restrictions, which had been extended up to 3 May 2020. The amendment permits specified forest produce, plantation, financial sector and rural construction activities to be included in the guidelines for strict implementation.
What the government order does
G.O. Ms. No. 196 dated 17 April 2020 was issued by the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Disaster Management Wing, DM II Section. It amends the Consolidated Revised Guidelines being followed during the extension of COVID-19 restrictions throughout Tamil Nadu up to 3 May 2020.
The amendment follows an order of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, dated 16 April 2020, and a proposal from the Principal Secretary and Commissioner of Revenue Administration dated 17 April 2020. It adds specified activities to the categories covered by the revised guidelines for strict implementation by the State Government.
Activities added to the guidelines
G.O. Ms. No. 196 adds the following activities:
- Collection, harvesting and processing of Minor Forest Produce or Non Timber Forest Produce by Scheduled Tribes and other forest dwellers in forest areas.
- Bamboo, coconut, arecanut, cocoa and spices plantations, including harvesting, processing, packaging, sale and marketing.
- Non-Banking Financial Institutions, including Housing Finance Companies and Micro Finance Institutions, operating with bare minimum staff.
- Co-operative Credit Societies.
- Rural construction activities involving water supply and sanitation.
- Laying or erection of power transmission lines in rural areas.
- Laying of telecom optical fibre and cable in rural areas, together with related activities.
Who may be affected
G.O. Ms. No. 196 directly concerns Scheduled Tribes and other forest dwellers engaged in forest produce work, plantation operators and workers, specified financial institutions, co-operative credit societies, and agencies or workers carrying out the listed rural infrastructure activities.
Property owners, developers and infrastructure professionals may be affected where work in a rural area involves water supply, sanitation, power transmission lines, telecom optical fibre or cable. The notification lists these categories as construction activities covered by the revised guidelines.
Relevance to land and property
G.O. Ms. No. 196 does not contain provisions changing land ownership, title, registration, planning permission or land use. Its property relevance is limited to the inclusion of specified rural construction and infrastructure activities within the COVID-19 Consolidated Revised Guidelines that applied during the stated restriction period.
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Common questions
Did G.O. Ms. No. 196 allow all construction work in Tamil Nadu?
No. The notification specifically includes rural construction activities involving water supply, sanitation, power transmission lines, and telecom optical fibre and cable with related activities.
Could housing finance companies operate under the amended guidelines?
Yes. Non-Banking Financial Institutions, including Housing Finance Companies and Micro Finance Institutions, were included, with bare minimum staff.
Did the notification change land ownership or registration rules?
No land ownership or registration changes are stated. The notification amends COVID-19 guidelines by adding specified economic, financial and rural construction activities.
How long had the COVID-19 restrictions been extended?
The restrictions in Tamil Nadu had been extended up to 3 May 2020, subject to the Consolidated Revised Guidelines.
