ICEA aggressively seeking inclusion of mobile phones, tablets and laptops in essential services
Mumbai: Already being an part and parcel of one’s daily lives, mobile phones have emerged as key enablers for the fight against COVID-19. India is estimated to have over 800 million mobile phone users in the year 2019. However, the lockdown has given rise to problems of maintenance and allied services in the Telecom industry. The Indian Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA) has urged the government to allow sale of mobile devices through e-commerce platforms.
During the ongoing lockdown – work from home culture is being strongly advocated by the Government of India. With schools, colleges and other educational institutions closed, the digital learning is now the new face of learning.
Be it the consultation with doctors on various apps, grocery, art and literature activities, webinars have increased in multitudes on smartphones during lockdown. Besides this Yoga classes, Food recipes are getting popularised and the citizens are not in any undue stress as they are getting their daily source of entertainment through their mobile phones.
When the millions and millions of lives are forced to stay in amid coronavirus lockdown, the mobile phones have become oxygen for the critical functioning of government officials, hospitals, police, doctors, nurses, disaster management, the municipal bodies of cities and many more personnel part of essential services.
The ICEA, the apex industry body of mobile and electronics sector, has urged the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allow the sale of these devices through e-commerce platforms. It has also warned the government that if the retailers are not permitted to open their shops mobile phones across the country may go on ‘switched off mode’.
“If the lockdown continues any further, approximately 4 Crores mobile users may not be able to use the mobile phones as all the mobile repairing shops have been closed due to lockdown, ” claimed the apex body.
Pankaj Mohindroo Chairman of the ICEA has through the apex body approached the Ministry of Information and Technology, asking to allow the sale of mobile phone devices through e-commerce platforms, including the operations of service centers as it is the mandatory part for the consumers.
In India, Aarogya Setu App by the Government of India is running on 400 million smartphones. The effective functioning of these smartphones will be vital in the containment of COVID-19.
The All India Mobile Retailers Association has also urged the Ministry of Commerce to allow them to start the mobile shops for repair and battery purposes as India is solely operating in the world of mobile phones.
