Free distribution of masks in Tamil Nadu to begin soon

Govt. has received a consignment of 5.5 lakh pieces

The free distribution of face masks through fair price shops in several urban areas of Tamil Nadu is expected to begin shortly.

On Thursday, a consignment of 5.5 lakh masks was received by Revenue Department officials from one of the two companies which were chosen in the first tender. The masks will be sent for testing, and once they clear the test, they will be sent to fair price shops. In a matter of days, the first round of distribution will start, a senior official told The Hindu .

The government plans to distribute two masks per beneficiary, free of cost, initially in urban areas excluding Chennai. All those enumerated in ration cards will be covered, and the total quantity required is 4.4 crore for the time being. This is being done as part of the government’s welfare measures in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Going by the stated combined production capacity of the two companies — 16.6 lakh masks per day — it would take almost a month for them to supply the entire quantity. As the government was keen on getting the distribution done at the earliest, it had decided to go for another round of tender, which was based on a fixed rate contract.

In view of the price — ₹6.45 for a piece (excluding 5% tax) — quoted by the lowest bidder (L1) in the first round, those who had participated in the second were required to supply the masks at the stipulated price.

Of the 25 companies that expressed willingness, 16 were chosen based on technical parameters, the official said. The collective capacity of these 16 firms is 1.6 crore masks a day, he added.