Govt aims to set up 300 PSA oxygen plants across the state

Nagpur: The Maharashtra government is mulling setting up around 300 Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) oxygen plants across the state to make general and rural hospitals, and other health facilities self-reliant. The decision was taken to achieve a targeted production of 350 tonnes of oxygen for the health infrastructure.
In the backdrop of rising Covid surge in the second wave and stress on health infrastructure, especially with spiralling oxygen demand, Maharashtra government is planning to become self-sufficient in oxygen production to a large extent by increasing it’s existing capacity. During the ongoing pandemic, Maharashtra had to depend on sourcing oxygen from Bhilai, Raipur, Rourkela and other places to supply it at Covid hospitals.
In yet another development, state chief secretary Sitaram Kunte is also learnt to have written to the cabinet secretary requesting additional 200 MT of oxygen and also 10 cryogenic tankers for transportation. Even tankers and cylinders are in short-supply in the state.
According to sources, the state government has assigned the commissioner of skill development, employment and entrepreneurship to play the role of coordinator among various agencies, government departments and units across the states. The districts have already sent their proposals to the commissionerate, which would now place them before the government for scrutiny and review. “At least 10 places in every district on an average would have PSA oxygen plants now,” said an official.
The district collectors are expected to arrange for funds to set up PSA plants at government hospitals and health facilities through District Planning and Development Council (DPDC), State Disaster Relief Fund, Corporate Social Responsibility and also from the special budgetary allocations of the government of India.
Nagpur district administration is aiming to set up PSA plants at a numbers of places like Government Medical College and Hospital, Mayo Hospital, AIIMS and also other places. There is an effort to take help of Mahagenco to set up oxygen plants at Koradi and Khaparkheda thermal power plants too.