Govt eases import process for oxygen cylinders, cryogenic tankers
By TIOL News Service
NEW DELHI, MAY 06, 2021: THE government on Wednesday said it has simplified the procedure of registration and approval for importing oxygen cylinders and cryogenic tankers urgently required to treat COVID-19 patients.
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry said they had done away with the norms for physical inspection of the global manufacturer’s production facilities by the Petroleum and Explosive Safety Organisation (PESO) before approval is granted for import.
Such approvals will now be granted online “without any delay” on the submission of manufacturer’s particulars like ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation) certificate, the list of cylinders and tankers, their specifications, drawings and batch number, hydro test certificate and third party inspection certificate.
With the second wave of COVID-19 infections, India has been importing and receiving various life-saving medical equipment and pharmaceutical products. The cargo clearance and deliveries are facilitated without delay in coordination with agencies concerned.
The Health Ministry on Wednesday said the global community has donated nearly 3,038 oxygen concentrators, 2,347 oxygen cylinders, nine oxygen generation plants, 551 ventilators, over 2.88 lakh Remdesivir vials, 1.20 lakh Favipiravir strips and 33 medical cabinets from April 27 onward.
A streamlined and systematic mechanism for allocation of the support supplies received by India has been put into place by the Central government for effective distribution of the donations to States and institutions. "A Standard Operating Procedure has been framed and implemented by the Health Ministry since May 2,” it added.
A dedicated Coordination Cell has been created in the Health Ministry to coordinate the receipt and allocation of foreign Covid relief material as grants, aid and donations to 38 tertiary care institutions and 31 States, so far.
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