Tata, Reliance groups pledge help to increase production, supply of medical oxygen for Covid-19 patients

 The Reliance and Tata groups have pledged to contribute in increasing production and supply of medical oxygen for treatment of Covid-19 patients.

Hospitals across states have been reporting shortage of medical oxygen to treat Covid-19 patients. (Photo: Reuters)

The Tata Group and the Reliance Group have announced that they would be helping the government's efforts to increase production and supply of medical oxygen in the country to overcome its shortage and fight Covid-19 pandemic.

In a tweet, the Tata Group on Tuesday said it is "committed to doing as much as possible" to strengthen India's fight against Covid-19. The group announced that it would be importing 24 cryogenic containers to transport liquid oxygen to help overcome its shortage.

"PM @narendramodi's appeal to the people of India is laudatory and we at the Tata Group, are committed to doing as much as possible to strengthen the fight against Covid-19. To mitigate the oxygen crisis, here is one such effort to boost health Infrastructure. The Tata group is importing 24 cryogenic containers to transport liquid oxygen and help ease the oxygen shortage in the country," the Tata Group said in a series of tweets.

Meanwhile, the Reliance Group too has committed to increase supply of oxygen to over 700 tones per day to states like Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat where Covid-19 cases are rising.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered an address to the nation on Covid-19 situation wherein he appealed to all sections of society to come forward and contribute in the fight against Covid-19.

In a report quoting sources, news agency PTI said Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries Ltd has tweaked manufacturing at its Jamnagar oil refineries to produce over 700 tonnes a day of medical-grade oxygen which is being supplied free of cost to states badly affected by Covid-19.

The report added that Reliance's Jamnagar refineries in Gujarat initially produced 100 tonnes of medical-grade oxygen, which has quickly been ramped up to over 700 tonnes.

The supplies being made to states like Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh will provide relief to over 70,000 critically ill patients every day. The company plans to raise medical-grade oxygen production capacity to 1,000 tonnes, PTI reported quoting sources.

It added that Reliance will not be charging states for the supply and transportation of oxygen and that this will be part of its CSR initiative.

Meanwhile, state-owned Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) too have started diverting oxygen produced at their refineries to supplement the availability of medical oxygen in states worst hit by Covid-19.

Indian Oil Corporation on Monday said it has started supply of 150 tonnes of oxygen at no cost to various hospitals in Delhi, Haryana and Punjab.

BPCL too said it has started supply of 100 tonnes of oxygen at no cost.

(With PTI inputs)