Centre sanctions 162 PSA oxygen plants worth 201.58cr; 33 installed

Amid rising demand for oxygen in the wake of swelling Covid-19 cases, the Centre has sanctioned the installation of 162 Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) oxygen plants public health facilities in all states. These will augment medical oxygen capacity by 154.19 MT.

According to Union health ministry, of the 162 PSAs, 33 have already been installed — 5 in MP, 4 in Himachal, 3 each in Chandigarh, Gujarat and Uttarakhand, 2 each in Bihar, Karnataka and Telangana; and 1 each in Andhra, Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Kerala, Maharashtra, Puducherry, Punjab and UP.

It said by April-end, 59 will be installed and 80 more will be installed by May.

The states have requested the Centre for more than 100 such additional plants which are also being sanctioned.

The entire cost of 162 PSA oxygen plants amounting to Rs 201.58 crore has been borne by the Centre. It includes a 7-year maintenance cost to start from 4th year onwards after a 3-year warranty.

The move comes days after the Centre decided to import 50,000 MT of medical oxygen, to conduct mapping of 12 high burden states to oxygen sources. The states are Maharashtra, MP, Gujarat, UP, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.

The Centre has asked the States to make rational use of medical oxygen and ensure there is no wastage of oxygen. Besides, the Centre has instructed the States to set up Control Rooms to ensure smooth supply of oxygen to the districts as per need, review requirement of cylinders, tankers.