New Delhi: The government has set the maximum price of medical oxygen cylinders and liquid oxygen for the next six months to ensure availability of medical oxygen (Oxygen) in the country at a reasonable price amid the Covid-19 (Corona) epidemic.
It was informed in an official statement on Saturday. The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers said in a statement that due to the current status of Covid-19, the daily demand for medical oxygen has increased almost four times from 750 metric tone to about 2,800 metric tone. In view of this, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has decided to set the maximum price limit for medical oxygen cylinders and liquid oxygen.
The ministry said that the issue of availability of medical oxygen, including its price, has been under consideration by the Empowered Group 2 of the Government of India. The group recommended NPPA to consider imposing a limit on the ex-factory price of liquid medical oxygen to ensure its supply at reasonable prices. The ministry said the group also requested NPPA to impose a limit on the ex-factory price of oxygen cylinders to ensure supply of oxygen cylinders at reasonable prices.
The statement said that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has taken all necessary steps to regulate the pricing and availability of liquid medical oxygen and oxygen cylinders to the NPPA under Section 10 (2) (l) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 Powers of. The Authority deliberated on the matter in its Extra Ordinary Meeting held on 25 September and decided to implement extraordinary powers in the public interest in view of the situation arising due to the epidemic.
He decided to immediately regulate the availability and price of liquid medical oxygen and medical oxygen cylinders. NPPA decided to set ex-factory price of liquid medical oxygen at Rs 15.22 per cubic meter. It does not include Goods and Services Tax (GST). Similarly, the maximum price of oxygen cylinders at the filler (while filling cylinders) level was fixed at Rs 25.71 per cubic meter before GST.
These rates will be effective for six months. Chemicals Fertilizer Minister DV Sadananda Gowda said in a tweet, “The government is committed to ensuring the availability of oxygen during Covid-19. The imposition of the price limit by the NPPA will remove the roadblocks to transport oxygen to remote districts. ”
