162 pressure swing adsorption plants sanctioned to augment medical oxygen, says government amid COVID crisis

NEW DELHI: The Centre has sanctioned installation of 162 pressure swing adsorption (PSA) plants in public health facilities in all states, the Health Ministry said on Sunday, as demand of medical oxygen goes through the roof amid spiralling coronavirus cases in the country.

The PSA plants manufacture oxygen and help hospitals become self-sufficient in their requirement for medical oxygen, while also reducing the burden on the national grid for its supply of medical oxygen.

A total of 162 PSA oxygen plants have been sanctioned by the government for installation in public health facilities in all states, the ministry tweeted.

"These will augment medical oxygen capacity by 154.19 MT."

Thirty-three of the 162 PSA plants have been installed -- five in Madhya Pradesh, four in Himachal Pradesh, three each in Chandigarh, Gujarat and Uttarakhand; two each in Bihar, Karnataka and Telangana; and one each in Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Haryana, Kerala, Maharashtra, Puducherry, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, it said.

Fifty-nine more PSA plants will be installed by April-end, while 80 more will be installed by May-end.

In addition to these, states have requested for more than 100 such additional plants, which are also being sanctioned, it said.

"The entire cost of 162 PSA oxygen plants amounting to Rs 201.58 crore has been borne by the central government. This also includes 7-year maintenance cost to start from 4th year onwards after three years of warranty," the ministry said in a series of tweets.

India reported a record 2,61,500 new coronavirus cases and 1,501 deaths on Sunday, while active cases have surpassed the 18-lakh mark, the ministry data stated.

Earlier, the ministry had decided to float a tender for import of 50,000 MT of medical oxygen.

It has been directed to finalise the tender for the same and also explore possible sources for import identified by the missions of the Ministry of External Affairs.