The rate of testing of COVID-19 samples in the national capital has been capped at Rs 2,400, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Wednesday.
The decision came after a high-powered panel headed by NITI Aayog member Dr V K Paul submitted a report recommending the cap of Rs 2,400 for the tests.
The panel was set up by Home Minister Amit Shah after a meeting he had with Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday.
"As per the directives of Home Minister Amit Shah in providing relief to the common man, the high-level expert committee's report on COVID-19 testing rates received by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has been further sent to the Delhi government for necessary action. It has been decided to fix the test rate at Rs 2,400," the MHA spokesperson tweeted.
The Centre had earlier set the testing rates at Rs 4,500 but in late May the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) removed the cap and said the states were free to set their own caps.
In April itself, Karnataka became the first state to reduce the rates and capped the COVID-19 test rate at Rs 2,250 in private laboratories for the samples sent by the government.
Maharashtra (Rs 2,200 for tests in labs and Rs 2,800 for sample collection from home), Telangana (Rs 2,200) and Tamil Nadu (Rs 3,000) were among other states, which have already set a cap on COVID-19 testing rates.
The MHA spokesperson also said tests from June 18 will be done using the new Rapid Antigen methodology approved by the ICMR and Delhi would be given priority for these kits. He said 169 centers have also been set up across Delhi.
On the decision to double the testing in the capital within two days, the spokesperson said 16,618 test samples were collected June 15 and 16. Reports of 6,510 tests received so far and the remaining will be received by Thursday.
House-to-house surveys in Delhi's containment zones, aimed at intensive contact mapping, which is another decision taken on Sunday, will be done and health workers have collected details from 1.77 lakh out of 2.30 lakh people in 242 containment zones. The authorities expect to conclude the survey by June 20.