In the wake of rapid coronavirus outbreak and at a time when hand sanitizers have become an essential must-have item for every person, the Central Government on Thursday announced to regulate the prices, production, sale, distribution and other aspects of alcohol used in the production of hand sanitizers till June this year.
The move has been taken after complaints that the prices of the alcohol used in manufacturing the hand sanitizers have been exorbitantly increased by its producers.
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“In view the ongoing outbreak of COVID-19 (coronavirus) and concern of the logistics for COVID 19 management particularly during last couple of weeks and that prices of the alcohol used in manufacturing the hand sanitizers have been exorbitantly increased by the producers of such alcohol, Government has notified an Order under the Essential Commodities Act to declare price cap prevailing as on 05.03.2020 on the above alcohols up to June 30, 2020,” stated a notification issued by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs on Thursday.
“It has also notified that the raw materials used in manufacture of essential commodities are also essential commodities under the EC Act. States can now ask the manufactures of these alcohols not to increase the prices of their produce without concurrence of the Central Government,” it added.
Meanwhile, the total number of confirmed cases rose to 195 in India on Friday.
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The fifth death due to coronavirus in the country has been reported from Rajasthan where a 69-year-old Italian citizen has died while undergoing treatment at the Fortis Hospital in Jaipur.