Aarogya Setu App is Now Mandatory for Employees

The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued fresh guidelines while also announcing the extension of the ongoing lockdown in the country until 17 May 2020. As per the notification issued by the MHA, it is now mandatory for employees to download the Aarogya Setu app.

“Use of Aarogya Setu app shall be made mandatory for all employees, both private and public. It shall be the responsibility of the Head of the respective organizations to ensure 100 percent coverage of this app,” says the latest guidelines by MHA.

The Aarogya Setu app, developed through a public-private partnership by the National Informatics Centre, aims at augmenting the initiatives of the Government of India, particularly the Department of Health, in proactively reaching out to and informing the users of the app regarding risks, best practices and relevant advisories pertaining to the containment of Coronavirus. The app will also proactively reaching out to and inform the users about the potential risk of the infection.

In the days to come, reports indicate that the app may also be used as a pass to allow movement of people. User data will be shared with the Government of India. However, the app says that users’ names and mobile numbers will never be disclosed to the public at large at any given time.

The latest guidelines issued today have allowed relaxations for IT and ITes companies in the red zones.  Print and electronic media, data and call centres, Special Economic Zones (SEZs), Export Oriented Units (EOUs), industrial estates and industrial townships with access control, manufacturing units of essential goods and so on will also be allowed to operate as long as they follow the required social distancing norms.