Government on Friday declared face masks and hand sanitizers as essential commodities for the next 100 days as it stepped up efforts to boost supply and prevent hoarding of these items in its fight to check spread of coronavirus disease.
The Centre has also invoked Disaster Management Act to ensure price regulation and availability of surgical and protective masks, hand sanitizer and gloves.
Both masks (2ply & 3 ply surgical masks, N95 masks) and hand sanitisers have been brought under Essential Commodities Act, 1955, empowering States to regulate production, distribution and prices of these items and also crackdown on hoarding and blackmarketing.
“Government has notified an order under the Essential Commodities Act to declare these items as essential commodities up to June 30, 2020, by amending the schedule of the Essential Commodities Act 1955,” the Consumer Affairs Ministry said in a statement.
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