Centre sanctions 551 oxygen plants from PM CARES Fund

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 25

As hospitals reeled under oxygen shortages across the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday announced oxygen plants for each district to ease the crisis.

“Oxygen plants in every district to ensure adequate oxygen availability. An important decision that will boost oxygen availability to hospitals and help people across the nation,” he said after the government announced the establishment of 551 pressure swing absorption plants from PM CARES Fund.

“In line with the Prime Minister’s direction of boosting availability of oxygen to hospitals, the PM CARES Fund has given in-principle approval for allocation of funds for installation of 551 dedicated Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) Medical Oxygen Generation Plants inside public health facilities in the country.

The PM has directed that these plants should be made functional as soon as possible. He said these plants would serve as a major boost to oxygen availability at the district level, a government statement said.

The dedicated plants will be established in identified government hospitals in district headquarters in various states and UTs. The procurement will be done through the Ministry of Health.

The PM CARES Fund had earlier this year allocated Rs 201.58 crore for installation of additional 162 dedicated Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) medical oxygen generation plants inside public health facilities in the country. Of these just 33 have yet been installed.

“Such an in-house captive oxygen generation facility would address the day-to-day medical oxygen needs of these hospitals and the district. In addition, the liquid medical oxygen (LMO) would serve as a ‘top up’ to the captive oxygen generation. Such a system will go a long way in ensuring that government hospitals in the districts do not face sudden disruption of oxygen supplies and have access to adequate uninterrupted oxygen supply to manage the Covid-19 patients and other patients needing such support,” the government said.

Several oxygen plants were tendered last year, but not installed. The Congress asked the Centre to stop making announcements and show some action.