Government has issued orders to cap the retail prices of hand sanitizers at Rs. 100 per bottle of 200 ml. Retail prices of surgical mask (3 ply) shall not be more than Rs. 10 and that of mask (2 ply) shall not be more than Rs. 8 per piece. Melt Blown non-Woven Fabric used in manufacturing face masks (2 ply and 3 ply) have also been capped at the prices prevailing a month ago, as on February 12, 2020. The Secretary, Consumer Affairs, Food < Civil Supplies, Shri Pawan Agarwal told a news conference here today that notification in this regard has been issued yesterday. Both these items have already been included in the Essential Commodities Act, he added.

Shri Agarwal said distilleries have been asked to ramp production of Ethyl Alcohol and provide them to manufacturers of deodorant sprays so that there is no shortage of hand sanitizers.