- Centre asks Punjab to prepare sites and take up allied activities on priority for timely installation and commissioning of the PSA Plants in a Mission Mode
Hardeep S Puri, Union Minister of State(I/C) for Housing & Urban
Affairs addressed a press conference on Oxygen Generation
Plants sanctioned under PM Cares Fund for the state of Punjab.
While
addressing the conference, the Minister referred to the letter written
to the State Government of Punjab by Durga Shanker Mishra,
Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and Rajesh
Bhushan, Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW),
who have asked the state to prepare sites and take up allied activities
on priority for timely installation and commissioning of the 41 Pressure
Swing Adsorption (PSA) Plants in coordination with various
stakeholders at appropriate level in a Mission Mode. Earlier 13 plants
had been sanctioned for Punjab which are currently being installed.
In
the letter, State Government was also advised to nominate a Nodal
Officer and two technical persons, who are to be trained to operate and
troubleshoot PSA Plants in each medical facility would help in rapid
commissioning and operation of these plants. Further, one State Level
Nodal Officer is to be nominated for coordinating with Central Agencies.
The
recent experience with Covid-19 pandemic has shown the importance of
ensuring adequate availability of oxygen in hospitals. Installation of
Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) Oxygen Generation Plants in various
heath care facilities would help avoid disruption of oxygen supplies,
reduce dependence on LMO storage and supply of cylinders or tanks.
Accordingly
based on the requests received from States/UTs, earlier 162 PSA Plants
in October, 2020 and recently 75, 52 and 200 plants were sanctioned
under PM Cares Fund on 10.05.2021, 10.05.2021 and 22.05.2021
respectively. Considering further demand and need to make available
these facilities in each district of the country, all the requests
received from States/ UTS have been reviewed comprehensively in close
consultation and collaboration with States/ UTs. Based on this exercise,
a total of 1,215 PSA Plants (including those already conveyed earlier)
have been sanctioned under PM Cares Fund.
The
list of hospitals of Punjab in which Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA)
Oxygen Generation Plants have been approved is as follows: