News:The Centre has brought masks and hand sanitisers under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 to make sure that these products help in preventing the spread of Covid-19 infection.
Facts:
About the Act:
- Essential Commodities Act,1955 aims to ensure smooth and easy availability of essential items to consumers.
- Under the act,the Government regulates the production, supply and distribution of certain commodities it declares ‘essential’ in order to make them available to consumers at fair prices.
- The list of items under the Act include drugs, fertilisers, pulses and edible oils and petroleum and petroleum products.
- The Centre can include new commodities as and when the need arises and take them off the list once the situation improves.
- The State Governments are the implementing agencies to implement the EC Act,1955 along with the Prevention of Black marketing & Maintenance of Supplies of Essential Commodities Act,1980.
