The rates for the Covid-19 tests in the State have been revised again and reduced by ₹300 per test. Therefore, private laboratories are now required to charge a maximum of ₹1,900, ₹2,200 and ₹2,500 for tests as per the newly fixed rates.

Private laboratories cannot charge more than these rates, said Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Wednesday.

Tope, in a media statement, said that earlier ₹2,200 for taking a swab from the hospital and ₹2,500 for going to the patient's house and taking a swab for examination. Some people, patients went directly to a private laboratory for examination and were charged ₹2,800. All these rates have been further reduced.

He said that the lockdown in the State under Mission Begin has been relaxed in some places. As a result, the availability of reagents, Viral Transport Media kits and PPE kits for testing has increased and their prices have come down. Therefore, it was necessary to reduce the cost of the COVID tests for patients.Taking this into consideration all these factors, a State Government committee discussed with the laboratory and kits manufacturers and submitted its report to the government with its recommendations. Accordingly the revised rates of the tests were fixed.

In a separate development the State Cabinet on Wednesday has also decided to provide cash and kind help to the tribal population staying in the remote regions of the state for overcoming the difficulties faced due to monsoon rains coupled with Covid lock down and supply disruptions, the statement said.

Tribal dominated districts such as Gadchiroli get cut off from rest of Maharashtra during monsoon as heavy rains flood the motorable roads in the district.

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