Govt caps trade margin on oxygen concentrators at 70%, asks hospitals to display MRP
Total Views |
New Delhi, June 04: To stop the black-marketing of oxygen concentrators in the country, the Centre on Friday capped the trade margins of oxygen concentrators at the first point of the sale of the product and directed the manufacturers to fix the maximum retail price accordingly. In a press release, the Government stated that there was huge volatility in the MRPs of Oxygen Concentrators, and the margin at the level of distributor currently ranged up to almost 198%.
The chemicals and Fertilisers Ministry took the decision by invoking extraordinary powers under Para 19 of the DPCO, 2013. "By invoking extraordinary powers under Para 19 of the DPCO, 2013 in larger public interest NPPA has capped the Trade Margin up to 70% on Price to Distributor (PTD) level on Oxygen Concentrators," the official release read.
Also Read | PM Modi at CSIR meet, "India is leading globally in sustainable development and clean energy"
Besides, NPPA has instructed the manufacturers and importers to report revised MRP within three days. NPPA will put the revised MRPs in the public domain within a week.
Moreover, govt has directed every retailer, dealer, hospital, and institution to display a price list as furnished by the manufacturer, on a conspicuous part of the business premises in a manner so as to be easily accessible to any person wishing to consult the same.
"The manufacturers/importers not complying with the revised MRP after trade margin capping, shall be liable to deposit the overcharged amount along with interest at the rate of 15 percent and penalty up to 100 percent under the provisions of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 read with Essential Commodities Act, 1955," it added.
Moreover, the govt has also directed the State Drug Controllers (SDCs) to monitor the compliance of the order to ensure that no manufacturer, distributor, the retailer sells oxygen concentrators to any consumer at a price exceeding the revised MRP, to prevent instances of black-marketing. The order will be applicable till November 30, 2021.
.
.