The price caps set by the Indian government over sanitisers and face masks are hardly being adhered to while the supply of the essential commodities remains scarce.
The government has capped the price for a 200ml sanitiser at INR 100 ($1.34), the price for 2 ply (surgical) masks at INR 8 ($0.11), and 3 ply (surgical) masks at INR 10 ($0.13) until 30 June 2020. However, a check at different pharmacies across Delhi revealed that 100ml hand sanitiser was available for INR 130 ($1.74) to 150 ($2), while 600ml went for INR 500-600 ($7-8) .
Despite cap, sanitiser and masks prices skyrocket. 500 ml of sanitiser marketing by friends available at INR 565 in Delhi.@irvpaswan@nppa_india #Covid_19 pic.twitter.com/0MWlPtiW6m
— Rishikesh Kumar (@rishhikesh) March 29, 2020
The least expensive surgical masks cost INR 30 ($0.40), cloth-based for INR 50 ($0.67) and N90 for INR 160-350 ($2-4.7). The government had also placed price limits on alcohol used to make hand sanitisers.
Companies are selling sanitizer more than the price fixed by govt. Please look into matter. Masks r also being sold at higher price. @narendramodi @irvpaswan @MoHFW_INDIA pic.twitter.com/bb6a2VdMAL
— Shailesh Kumar Tripathi (@Meribaatey) March 27, 2020
Last week, Indian Minister of Consumer Affairs Ram Vilas Paswan said that with the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19), the Indian market saw a massive surge in the prices on face masks and hand sanitisers. Hence, the prices were capped under the Essential Commodities Act. The minister had asked the officials to ensure availability of canned items within the maximum retail price.
"We are not fixing the prices of such items. It is the suppliers/manufacturers who are fixing the price as well as availability", one retail owner who did not wished to be identified told Sputnik.
@MoHFW_INDIA @AyushmanNHA
— Shivanshu Gandhi (@ShivanshuGandh1) March 29, 2020
Wud like to bring to your kind attn the way big companies are making their fortunes in these critical times. Ordered online N95 mask cositng Rs.255/piece & got delivered in their packing SWASA mask from a Kanpur based company with online price of 80/pc pic.twitter.com/lQYtOrFJgj
After the price hike caused shortages of masks and hand sanitisers, the government not only declared them essential commodities but the Public Sector Undertaking HLL Lifecare Limited began procuring masks and sanitisers for mass distribution. Besides this, state governments issued new licenses for the production of hand sanitisers to 125 distilleries and 910 other private producers by 27 March but these steps have so far failed to ensure the availability of hand sanitisers in the country.
Many medical officers are on duty for screening without N95 mask and other safety gears in some hospital even it's available in the stock but still not being provided to the doctors by the store keepers, it's highly dangerous for their lives.@MoHFW_INDIA @myogiadityanath pic.twitter.com/KMjJkJBHrk
— Apurva Verma (@ApurvaV28106833) March 29, 2020
Following the government beginning to receive complaints about the shortage of these basic medical items, the country's drug regulator National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority asked state governments to ensure the availability of masks, gloves, and sanitisers for medical professionals and others.
