PM Modi Chairs High-Level Meeting, Directs Officials To Ensure Smooth And Unhindered Oxygen Supply To States

Amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (22 April) chaired a high-level meeting with officials to review the oxygen supply across the country and discuss ways and means to boost its availability.

During the meeting, PM Modi spoke about the need to work rapidly on multiple aspects including increasing production of oxygen as well as speed of its distribution and using innovative ways to provide oxygen support to health facilities.

The meeting was attended by Cabinet Secretary, Principal Secretary to PM, Home Secretary, Health Secretary & Officials from Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Minstry of Road Transport, Pharmaceuticals, NiTi Aayog.

PM Modi was briefed by the officials in the meeting on the efforts undertaken in the last few weeks to improve the supply of oxygen.

According to an official release, PM Modi was informed that an elaborate exercise is being done in co-ordination with the states to identify their demand for oxygen and ensure adequate supply accordingly.

PM Modi was briefed on how oxygen supply to states is steadily increasing.

Against the present demand from 20 states of 6,785 MT/ day of Liquid Medical Oxygen, the Centre has from 21 April, allocated 6,822 MT/ day to these states, the release said.

It was noted that in the last few days, availability of Liquid Medical Oxygen has been increased by about 3,300 MT/ day with contributions from private and public steel plants, industries, oxygen manufacturers as well as through prohibition of supply of oxygen for non-essential industries.

Officers informed that they were working together with the states to operationalise the sanctioned PSA oxygen plants as soon as possible.

PM Modi directed the officials to ensure that oxygen supply to various states happen in a smooth, unhindered manner. He spoke about the need to fix responsibility with the local administration in cases of obstruction. He also asked ministries to explore various innovative ways to increase production and supply of oxygen.

Various measures are being undertaken to rapidly increase the availability of cyrogenic tankers through conversion of nitrogen and argon tankers, import and airlifting of tankers as well as manufacturing them, the release said..

PM Modi also stressed on the need to ensure faster transportation of oxygen to the states. It was discussed that Railways is being used for rapid and non-stop long distance transport of tankers. First rake has reached from Mumbai to Vizag to transport 105 MT of LMO. Similarly, empty oxygen tankers are also being air-lifted to Oxygen suppliers to reduce one way journey time in oxygen supply.

PM Modi also advised the states to crackdown on those indulging in hoarding.