"Instructions may be passed to district administrations/concerned authorities to facilitate the pharma companies and ensure unobstructed movement of raw material, packing material and manpower required to accomplish work related to production, packing and distribution during the lockdown period," said the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) under the Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers Department of Pharmaceuticals in an order issued late on Thursday.

The NPPA clarified that transport of medical supplies along with some other essential services will remain exempt from lockdown regulations.

Retailing of medicines improved in major metros such as Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru on the second day of a 21-day nationwide lockdown but manufacturers and pharmacists say the situation may worsen as they continue to face hurdles from authorities in making deliveries.

"The seamless functioning of pharma manufacturing and distribution units, both in public and private sector is essential in dealing with the emergent situation," said Shubhra Singh, chairman, NPPA, in her letter to states and union territories.

Pharmaceutical companies had reached out to the NPPA, citing problems they were facing in the movement of stock and manpower.

“Restrictions have been imposed on the mobility of the citizens associated with the supply, distributions and transport of medicines, raw materials, components to make masks, sanitizers and other medical devices to the factories and manufacturing plants which are holding up production adding to shortages," said Rajiv Nath, Forum Coordinator, AiMeD, an Umbrella Association of Indian Manufacturers of Medical Devices.

“The Pharma / Medical Device manufacturers are also facing issues as the district administrations in various States / UTs have given directions to close the manufacturing operations in the pharmaceutical / medical device industry as part of various measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced a 21-day lockdown to contain the spread of Covid-19.

Total number of cases in India climbed to 724 as of Friday, with death toll at 17. World over, more than a half a million have contracted the infection, with death toll at 23,293.