Maharashtra becomes first state to regulate prices of masks amid COVID pandemic

Maharashtra, which is the worst-affected state with COVID-19, has become the first state in the country to regulate the rates of face masks during Coronavirus pandemic. A committee has been formed to implement caps on the price of masks and it has submitted its recommendations to the state government and formal order will soon be issued.

'Pandemic not meant for profiteering' 

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. "A period of a pandemic is not meant for profiteering. The prices of sanitizers are also being capped as well," Tope added.

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.

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Coronavirus pandemic in Maharashtra

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 on Wednesday, taking the total cases in the state to 14,80,489, including 39,072 deaths and 11,96,441 discharges.

There are 2,44,527 active cases in the state now. Mumbai city reported 2,848 new cases which pushed its overall case count to 2,19,961, while the death toll in the city rose to 9,248 with 46 new fatalities. 1,696 COVID-19 patients from other states have been treated in Maharashtra so far while 150 such patients have died. A total of 22,48,741 people are currently under home quarantine in the state while 25,655 are in institutional quarantine.

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(With agency inputs)