The central government yesterday announced that it will be procuring 1.5 lakh units of the Oxycare system built by the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) using the PM CARES (Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations) fund. The total cost of the procurement will amount to Rs 322.5 crores, as informed by DRDO.
“Under this sanction, 1,00,000 manual and 50,000 automatic Oxycare systems along with NRBM (Non-rebreather mask) masks are being procured. The Oxycare system delivers supplemental oxygen based on the SpO2 levels and prevents the person from sinking into a state of Hypoxia, which can be fatal,” a DRDO official was quoted as saying.
Moreover, according to a Jagran report, the government is also set to import 5,805 tonnes of oxygen from five countries. Of this, 3,440 tonnes will be imported from UAE, 1,505 tonnes from Kuwait, 600 tonnes from France, 200 tonnes from Singapore and 60 tonnes from Bahrain. In addition to this, the government plans to procure one lakh oxygen concentrators using the PM CARES Fund.
“One lakh oxygen concentrators are being procured under PM Cares Fund. 5,805 MT Liquid Medical Oxygen being imported. As many as 374 tankers with 7,049 MT capacity have been airlifted within the country, while 81 containers with a combined capacity of 1,407 MT have been imported through the Indian Air Force. A total of 157 oxygen special trains have moved 637 tankers,” the Ministry of Home Affairs informed the media.
This is not the first time that PM CARES fund has been used to help the people fight the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. As reported by TFI, in January this year, the Modi government had allocated no less than Rs 201.58 crore for installing 162 dedicated PSA medical oxygen generation plants in public health facilities. The cost of the same was to be borne by the PM CARES fund.
The plan encompassed having 162 PSA oxygen plants distributed across 32 states. On April 15, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that another 100 oxygen plants would be commissioned, using funds from PM CARES. Interestingly, PM Modi had directed states to ramp up their oxygen production capacities in January itself – much before the current wave was even anticipated on a scale that it is ravaging the country with.
Despite the Centre funding the installation of crucial oxygen plants across states, the state governments chose to willingly fall prey to their lackadaisical attitude and lethargy, the cost of which is now being borne by ordinary citizens gasping for oxygen.
Dear Sri @ArvindKejriwal – Assam has installed 8 Oxygen plants (5.25 MT /day) after #Covid crisis hit us; 5 in process. PM Sri @narendramodi gave Delhi funds for 8 plants through #PMCARES in Dec 2020. Why blame Modi, when your govt has failed and could instal just one out of 8!
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (Modi Ka Parivar) (@himantabiswa) April 24, 2021
The detractors of the PM CARES fund mainly comprising of opposition parties, the liberal media and the Social Justice Warriors had launched an all-out campaign to besmirch the government. However, by steadily spending the money for the well-being of the populace when it mattered the most — the Modi government has shown that a clear plan was in place as to when and how to use the PM CARES fund. And as usual, the entire ilk has preferred to keep a stoic silence on the developments as it doesn’t suit their liberal agenda.
