The Madhya Pradesh government has planned to procure 50 lakh low cost cotton masks and facilitate their availability at fair price shops for public to contain the spread of coronavirus.

The government will get these masks stitched by women from urban areas in the state, a public relations official said on Monday.

A decision on this was taken during a meeting called on Sunday by chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on the state's preparations to fight Covid-19.

The masks will be made available at all ration shops covered under the public distribution system (PDS), the official said, adding that the preparation of masks would also provide employment to women.

In the first phase of the initiative, the government will procure 50 lakh cotton masks, which will not only be cost effective but also reusable after washing, he said.

Women of urban areas, who wish to engage themselves in the mask-making activity, can get themselves registered with the government and secure an order to make 1,000 masks, he added.