Maharashtra allows all kinds of e-commerce activities

Maharashtra has allowed e-commerce activities including delivery of all goods and commodities like food, pharmaceuticals, electronics and electrical appliances in the state. 

According to an order passed on April 13, agencies involved in the procurement of agricultural goods, farming operations, mandis managed by APMC are also permitted to operate. 

Interstate movement of trucks carrying all essential and non-essential goods have also been permitted. Truck repair shops and dhabas on the highway are also being allowed to function. 

Maharashtra now becomes the second state to open-up for all kinds of e-commerce trade after Odisha. On Monday Entrackr had reported Odisha’s decision. 

While the order is encouraging for Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal and other e-commerce companies and logistics firms to operate, it’s not clear how large e-commerce firms would open up their platform for one or two states only at a time when their supply chain is crippled.

One big problem for e-commerce platforms has been the fact that most states have issued differing guidelines for their operations. 

It’s not clear whether hundreds of e-commerce companies would be able to ensure deliveries in just a handful of states. For their uninterrupted functioning, all states and central governments need to have a uniform guideline, especially when the central government issued guidelines earlier in the day allowing e-commerce deliveries nationwide from April 20. 

At present, the entire e-commerce ecosystem has been severely hampered by varying state government orders, lack of delivery manpower and last mile logistics and storage issues.

The number of Covid-19 positive cases in Maharashtra shot up to 2,801 today with 117 new cases being detected. Close to 66 new cases were found in Mumbai and 44 in Pune while death toll rose to 178 in the state.