COVID-19: Centre Declares Hand Sanitizers, Masks Essential Commodities

New Delhi: The Centre has empowered the State Governments to declare hand sanitizers and masks as essential commodities and urged them to take necessary steps to smoothen the sale and availability of these items in their respective States.

The Centre has also advised the States to take suitable steps, including persuading manufacturers to increase production of the two items, which have suddenly gone out of stocks amid the ourtbreak of Covid-19.

‘The decision (to bring the two items under EC Act) would empower the states to regulate production, quality, distribution of masks (2 ply and 3 ply surgical, N95) and hand sanitizers to smoothen the sale and availability of these items”, the Consumer Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

The Centre would also help states carry out operations against hoarders, speculators and those involved in over pricing and black marketing, the statement added.