COVID-19 cases are continuously decreasing in India. In view of this, the Maharashtra government has decided to remove all the restrictions applicable in the state. A decision on this was taken in the cabinet meeting held on Thursday. Giving information about this, health minister Rajesh Tope said that from April 2, wearing face masks will be voluntary in the state. That is, now it will be up to the public whether they should wear masks or not.

Tope said that this decision was taken in the cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. Tope said that from Gudi Padwa, the Marathi New Year, all COVID-19 related restrictions under the Epidemic Diseases Act and the Disaster Management Act will be withdrawn. After more than two years in Maharashtra, all pandemic-related restrictions, including the mandatory wearing of masks, are in place.

He said that from April 2, wearing face masks will be voluntary in the state. That is, now it will be up to the general public whether to wear a mask or not. In this way, Maharashtra has become the first state to do away with the requirement of masks.

Maharashtra minister Jitendra Awhad also tweeted about this. He wrote in the tweet that the state cabinet has decided to remove all existing COVID-19 restrictions in the state. Now all the festivals in the state can be celebrated with pomp, wearing masks will be mandatory. This decision will come into effect from April 2.

Significantly, CM Thackeray personally attended the state cabinet meeting for the first time after his spine surgery. He had his spinal surgery done in November 2021.