New Delhi (NVI): Amid the increasing demand of medical oxygen following surging cases of COVID-19, union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman today assured seamless supply to the states.
Sitharaman also emphasised on the need for adopting micro containment strategy in dealing with the second surge of the virus.
While addressing over 150 senior industry captains in a virtual interaction organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), she said praised the Indian Industry for its extreme forbearance, patience and perseverance, and described it with Japanese word ‘Gamanzuyoi’.
“Sitharaman emphasised on the need for adopting micro containment strategy in dealing with the second surge of the pandemic and acknowledged that the deliberations with CII had helped shaped this strategy. Explaining the rationale, the Finance Minister said that unlike last time we now have important tools such as vaccines and medicines, to deal with the pandemic,” the finance ministry said in a statement.
“On meeting the phenomenal increase in demand for medical oxygen, a critical treatment tool for COVID-19, the Finance Minister assured seamless supply to states,” it added.
She said that measures that the government is taking include importing medical oxygen, round the clock working of the oxygen filling stations and allowing containers used for nitrogen and argon to be used for oxygen.
The Minister also gave details of government initiatives to help ramp up capacity of Remdesivir from 36 lakh vials per month to 78 lakh vials per month.
“Some of these measures include rapid clearances for new capacities, stopping exports, stopping the exports of APIs and formulations used in the manufacture of this life saving drug, and allowing EoUs and manufacturers located in SEZs to also sell in the domestic market,” She said.
Meanwhile, CII members manufacturing Remdesivir apprised the finance minister that they were in fact working towards exceeding the committed target of 78 lakh vials per month and aiming to reach a production of 1 crore vials per month.
–PRT
