Retailers want govt to allow sale of non-essentials amid Covid-19 lockdown

Extend relaxations given to manufacturing units in green zones to retail sector, say industry players

Some of the country's top retailers, including Future Retail, Bata and Arvind, are asking the government to consider opening up of non-essential goods in green zones with strict norms like it has permitted manufacturing plants to operate.
 

The Retailers Association of India (RAI), which is the apex body of modern retailers in the country, has submitted a detailed set of guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOPs) - that its members can follow, if allowed to resume operations in these zones - to the government.
 

These include rigorous sanitization and social distancing measures as well as focus on digital payments as