Gurugram, Jun 7 (IANS): The Haryana government on Monday reduced the rate for the Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test at private laboratories from 499 to Rs 450 while the charge for home collection has been capped to Rs 650 from Rs 699, an official said.

An order in this regard was issued by Rajeev Arora, Additional Chief Secretary, department of health and family welfare, Haryana.

Deputy Commissioner Gurugram, Yash Garg has also issued an order to all the private hospitals and private laboratories of the district, warning that violation of these orders will be taken under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code.

"In case of suspicion of corona infection the most reliable test among all tests is considered as RT-PCR test. Now the government has revised its maximum rates, no hospital or lab operator can charge more than that," Civil Surgeon Gurugram, Virender Yadav said.

Referring to other types of tests of Covid-19, Yadav said that there are 4 other tests related to this pandemic, whose rates are also determined by the government. The rates of CBNAAT (Rs 2,400), TrueNat (1,250), Rapid Antigen test (Rs 350) and an IgG Elisa-based test (Rs 250).