Mumbai, Oct 26 (IANS): In a huge relief for the people, the Maharashtra government on Monday announced a slash in the tariffs for the basic Covid-19 tests in private labs to just Rs 980.

This is the fourth time in the past eight months that the state has cut the test rates for private testing, starting from the original rate of Rs 4,500 to now only Rs 980.

"While Rs 980 will be the cost leviable by pathological laboratories, for tests conducted through the labs at Covid-19 centres, hospitals and quarantine centres, where a large number of samples are collected and tested daily, the effective rate will be Rs 1,400. Similarly, for testing samples collected from the residences of suspected Corona patients, a rate of Rs 1,800 has been allowed," Health Minister Rajesh Tope said.

However, all these tests shall continue to be offered free at all government hospitals, he reiterated.

Tope said that cost rationalisations are the consequence of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government's focus to ease the burden of the Covid-19 exposure on the common man.

"With the emphasis on the test and trace strategy, along with other precautions, our testing ratio has improved to 70,000 tests per 10 lakh population," the minister added.

All District Collectors and Civic Commissioners have been directed to strictly ensure that the revised testing rates are made applicable by the testing centres on the potential patients.