Amid lockdown in view of COVID19 pandemic. Assam Cabinet on Monday permitted re-opening of all the shops, except haats and other markets, in the rural areas under green zones, with effect from Tuesday.

The State Cabinet had a meeting in Janata Bhawan under the chairmanship of Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday.

Informing about the new development, Assam industries & commerce minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said: “The State Cabinet had a meeting under the chairmanship of chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal to discuss the second phase of nationwide lockdown imposed in view of COVID19 pandemic.”

“The Cabinet decided that in rural areas, which fall under green zones, all the shops will be opened except the markets from tomorrow,” said Assam government spokesman Patowary.

Patowary, however, made it clear that strict lockdown norms would continue to be imposed in all the areas under red zones.

Keeping in view of the records of COVID19 patients, 5 districts in Assam have been identified as ‘red zones’.

The districts under ‘red zones’ are Nalbari, Dhubri, Morigaon, Golaghat, and Goalpara.

The Cabinet decided that the lockdown norms will remain effective in those red zone areas which fall under a 5 km radius of the red zone areas.

The Cabinet also decided on the inter-district movement of stranded people.

Patowary said: “The Cabinet decided to extend the movement of ASTC buses for the people stranded in various parts of the state till May 2.”

The minister said a total of 27,000 stranded people have been transported by ASTC buses to their home districts.

He said, the people, who want to move towards their homes, can book tickets for the journey by ASTC buses.

Regarding lifting or extension of the lockdown, the minister said the Cabinet did not take any decision on it and resolved to follow the decision to be announced by the Centre in this regard.