Centre to release 2,000 tonnes of Oxygen daily for supply to industries

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on Tuesday informed that they will be releasing about 2,000 tonnes of Oxygen on a daily basis for supply to industries.

While addressing the press conference, the spokesperson of the ministry said, "We will be releasing about 2000 tonnes of Oxygen on a daily basis for supply to industries."

Earlier today, government sources informed that the request of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) to the Union Home Ministry of allowing the supply of liquid oxygen to certain industries has been accepted by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

DPIIT had sought a request of including few industries like MSMEs, refineries, steel, food processing units etc to supply liquid oxygen. MHA has asked to ensure that there should be no shortage of liquid oxygen for hospital and other medical purposes, as per the sources.

Also, the Central government today allowed the supply of oxygen to certain industries on 'temporary basis subject to ensuring adequate supply of medical oxygen to hospitals and other medical purposes'.

Union Home Ministry had received a request from oxygen manufacturing industries to the allow supply of oxygen to industries other than the industries exempted by it.

According to the Ministry, the industries that made the requests were: Continuous process industries/ plants such as furnaces, refineries, steel, aluminum, copper processing plants etc. which require continuous power supply, infrastructucture projects and plants, Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) exporters of manufacturing sector requiring oxygen for production, and Food Processing Units.

"In this regard, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) may allow usage of liquid oxygen to the above-mentioned industries/ projects/ units on temporary basis subject to ensuring adequate supply of liquid medical oxygen to hospitals and other medical purposes as per demands of States/ UTs as well as adequate supply to industries/ sectors such as ampules and vials, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing of oxygen cylinders and PSA plants, neutral glass tubing and defence forces," read an official statement by the MHA.