PM reviews oxygen supply across India, asks states to check hoarding

Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, April 22 (EMN): Prime Minister Narendra Modi also chaired a high-level meeting on Thursday to review the oxygen supply across the country and discuss ways and means to boost its availability.

Modi spoke about the need to work rapidly on multiple aspects such as increasing production of oxygen, increasing the speed of distribution and using innovative ways to provide oxygen support to health facilities, in formed an update from PMO.

The meeting was attended by Cabinet secretary, principal secretary to PM, Home secretary, Health secretary and officials from Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Road Transport, Pharmaceuticals, and Niti Aayog.

It said that officials briefed the prime minister about an elaborate exercise that was being carried out in co-ordination with the states to identify their demand for oxygen and ensure adequate supply accordingly.

Against the present demand from 20 states of 6,785 MT/ day of liquid medical oxygen, government of India has from April 21, allocated 6,822 MT/ day to these states.

Further, the prime minister stressed on the need to ensure faster transportation of oxygen to the states. It was discussed that Railways was being used for rapid and non-stop long distance transport of tankers. Similarly, empty oxygen tankers were being air-lifted to oxygen suppliers to reduce one-way journey time in oxygen supply.

The prime minster 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 and has asked ministries to ‘explore various innovative ways’ to increase production and supply of oxygen.

“PM also stressed that the states should come down heavily on hoarding,” it added.