India allows rural poor to work

Millions of people in rural India will be allowed back to work next week despite a nationwide coronavirus lockdown, the government said Wednesday, as it conceded the hardships of shutting its vital farming economy were too great.

Restrictions on movement in the world's second-most populous nation of 1.3 billion people - put in place in late March - have hit the poorest the hardest, including rural migrant workers and other labourers.

In cities and towns, usually bustling streets are deserted and shops shuttered, while jobless migrants who did not manage to make the long journey home to villages, often on foot, are living in crowded shelters in cities.

The lockdown has also taken place during the harvest season, with farmers worried their reaping and sowing cycles will be severely disrupted and place further pressure on India's food supply chain - already hit by transport delays.

"To mitigate hardship to the public, select additional activities will be allowed," the Home Affairs Ministry said.