Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting with top officials to review the situation related to COVID-19 in the country and asked them to ensure rapid upgrading of health infrastructure. The Prime Minister got an overview on the situation in the country relating to oxygen availability, medicines and health infrastructure.

A PMO release said that the Empowered Group working on boosting oxygen supply briefed the Prime Minister on the efforts being made to ramp up availability and supply of oxygen in the country. The members informed the Prime Minister about increasing allocation of oxygen to states.

The meeting was informed that the production of LMO (liquid medical oxygen) in the country has increased from 5700 MT/day in August 2020 to 8,922 MT (on April 25, 2021). The domestic production of LMO is expected to cross 9250 MT/day by the end of this month. The Prime Minister instructed the officials to work closely with state governments to start the PSA oxygen plants at the earliest. Officers also apprised him that they are encouraging states to also set up PSA oxygen plants.

The Prime Minister was briefed about the functioning of the Oxygen Express Railways Service as well as the domestic sorties and international sorties undertaken by IAF to transport oxygen tankers. The Empowered Group working on medical infrastructure and COVID management briefed the PM on efforts being undertaken to ramp up availability of beds and ICUs. They informed the PM on efforts being break the chain of transmission. PM stressed on the need to ensure that specific guidelines and strategies evolved regarding COVID management need to be properly implemented by the relevant agencies in the states.

The Empowered Group working on communication informed the PM on the efforts being undertaken to improve awareness among people on COVID-related behaviour. Cabinet Secretary, Home Secretary, Secretary I&B, Secretary Pharmaceuticals, Member NITI Aayog, DG ICMR, Secretary Biotechnology and other senior officers were present in the meeting.