On January 6, 2021, the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM CARES) Fund Trust has allocated Rs 201.58 crore for installation of additional 162 Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) Medical Oxygen Generation Plants with a total capacity of 154.19 MT in 32 States and Union Territories (UTs). These will be installed inside public health facilities.
- The procurement of Medical Oxygen Generation Plants will be done by the Central Medical Supply Store, an autonomous body of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
- The total project cost includes 137.33 crore rupees towards supply and commissioning of the plants and Management fee of Central Medical Supply Store and around 64.25 crore rupees towards Comprehensive Annual Maintenance Contract.
Key Point:
–The plants have a warranty for the first 3 years. For the next 7 years, the project includes a Comprehensive Annual Maintenance Contract. After this, the entire Operations and Maintenance will be borne by the hospitals or States.
Benefits:
–It will strengthen the public health system by enabling adequate and uninterrupted supply of oxygen in a cost effective manner.
–It also reduces the health facility’s dependence on the system of store and supply.
–It facilitates providing oxygen support in a timely manner to patients in these public health facilities.
Earlier allocation by Government through PM Cares Fund:
In May 2020, the Central Government allocated Rs 3,100 for the fight against COVID-19. It consisted of Rs. 2,000 crore for supply of 50,000 ‘Made-in-India’ ventilators to government run COVID hospitals in all States and UTs. Rs. 1,000 crore towards the welfare of migrant labourers and Rs 100 crore to support vaccine development.
What is PM Cares Fund?
It was set up on March 28, 2020 following COVID-19 pandemic to deal with any kind of emergency or distress situation. The fund is used for combating, and containment and relief efforts against any kind of pandemic.
- The PM is ex-officio chairman of PM CARES Fund, while Union ministers of Defence, Home Affairs and Finance, are ex-officio trustees of the fund.
- Notably, the fund consists entirely of voluntary contributions from individuals and organisations and does not get any budgetary support.
- Donations to the PM CARES Fund qualify for 80G benefits for 100% exemption under the Income Tax Act, 1961.
Recent Related News:
i.Government of India has allocated Rs.900 crore to Department of Biotechnology(DBT) for research and development of COVID-19 vaccines under Mission COVID Suraksha.
ii.On December 14, 2020, Union Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan, (MoHF&W) has approved the health data management policy of the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) to protect and manage personal data of patients using the digital services of the scheme.
About Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW):
Union Minister – Harsh Vardhan
Minister of State (MoS) – Ashwini Kumar Choubey
