India’s Medical Oxygen Production Up by Nearly 60% Since August 2020

India has increased its Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) production by nearly 60% to to 8,922 MT per day and is expected to cross 9,250 MT per day by the end of the month.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was informed about the increasing production of the life-saving gas, whose shortage has been reported in several places amid a surge in COVID-19 cases, at a high-level meeting on Tuesday during which he asked officials to work closely with state governments to start PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption) Oxygen plants at the earliest.

The officials from an empowered group working on boosting oxygen supply informed that LMO production went up from 5700 MT/day in August 2020 to 8922 MT on April 25, 2021, adding that the domestic production is expected to cross 9250 MT/day by the end of April.

Officials also noted that they are encouraging states to set up PSA oxygen plants. Last year, the central government decided to install 162 PSA oxygen plants across various states.