The Centre has capped the maximum retail price of 3 ply face masks made of meltblown non-woven fabric at Rs 16 per piece till June 30 after clearing confusion with the manufacturers, Consumer Affairs Secretary Pawan Agarwal said on Thursday.

On March 21, the Consumer Affairs Ministry had notified MRP for 2 ply and 3 ply 'surgical' face masks at Rs 8 and Rs 10 per piece, respectively. But for 3 ply meltblown face masks, it had said MRP would at the rate that prevailed as on February 12.

'We had a meeting with face mask manufacturers. They were facing some challenges because of lack of clarity on MRP front. So, we have decided to fix the MRP of 3 ply meltblown face masks at Rs 16 per piece,' Agarwal told PTI.

The retail price of 2 ply and 3 ply surgical face masks remain the same. The rates will remain in force up to June 30, he said.

Efforts are being made to ensure sufficient supply of face masks and hand sanitizers are available in the current situation, he added.