Covid-19: Maharashtra becomes first state to regulate prices of masks

Maharashtra has become the first state to regulate the rates of face masks during COVID-19 pandemic as a committee formed to implement caps on the price of masks has submitted its recommendations to the state government and formal order will soon be issued.

The state govt had constituted a committee to give suggestions about regulating prices of Masks and Sanitisers.

Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope confirmed that the committee has submitted its recommendations and formal order will soon be issued. He also confirmed that now prices of N-95 maks will be capped at Rs 50 maximum for every mask. The rates have been finalised after a detailed study of the process and cost of manufacturing, availability and affordability of raw material and demand in the market, he said.

Tope confirmed that the government has accepted the recommendations of the committee and soon orders will be issued.

According to the recommendation of the committee, the N-95 mask will be available for around Rs 19 to Rs 50 depending on the type, while the double and triple layer masks will be available for just Rs 3 to 4. The process of deciding on the price fixed by the committee is in the final stage and after the approval of the government, it will be mandatory to sell the masks at the revised rate, said an official release.

He also says that the rates have been finalised after a detailed study of the process and cost of manufacturing, availability and affordability of raw material and demand in market etc.

Currently, the state government has made it mandatory for citizens to wear masks and if they do not wear them, punitive action is being taken.

Maharashtra continues to be one of the worst-affected states with 14,578 new COVID-19 cases, 355 deaths and 16,715 discharges today, taking the total cases in the state to 14,80,489, including 39,072 deaths and 11,96,441 discharges.