NEW DELHI: The Centre on Sunday instructed states to allow operation of industries manufacturing essential items, expedite issuing passes to workers of these industries and allowing trucks and other goods vehicles to ply to avoid any shortage of essential items.It directed states to ensure that there is no hindrance in operation of small and medium industries involved in producing flour and edible oil and processing of pulses as well.In the letter addressed to all chief secretaries, Union home secretary Ajay Bhalla highlighted how the past instructions issued by the Centre were not being implemented in full letter and spirit at the ground level.It cited how trucks carrying essential or non-essential commodities and empty trucks were being detained and the workers were not getting authorisation passes to report to work in manufacturing units of essential items.It also cited how authorization letters from one state were not being respected by authorities of other states and even operation of cold storage and warehouses were not being allowed.The letter said such restrictions with regard to allowed activities have the “potential of creating shortage of essential commodities”.Bhalla has said the instructions should be passed on so that “there is no ambiguity at the ground level” and activities allowed by the home ministry are carried without any hindrance.The instructions were issued barely hours after cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba held a series of meetings with different groups of secretaries.TOI on Saturday had reported how there is some increase in prices of edible oil and pulses across cities.The letter said inter-state and intra-state movement of all trucks whether loaded or empty with one driver and one additional person must be allowed as long as the driver has a valid driving licence.It said local authorities should facilitate movement of drivers and cleaners from their homes to the trucks and movement of workers to their place of work for the permitted industrial and commercial activities.Bhalla said warehouses and cold storage should be allowed to freely function for to and from movement of trucks.However, the stipulations will apply all areas other than the areas requiring containment, quarantine and hotspots as per the guidelines of health ministry where state authorities have imposed restriction to prevent the spreading of COVID-19.