The government had in April waived customs duty on import of medical oxygen and some oxygen-related equipment such as cylinders, concentrators, and storage tanks, effective for a period of three months.
Oxygen concentrator (Representational image)
The Centre is mulling permitting duty free import of components used in the manufacture of oxygen concentrators, and including conentrators and oxygen delivery-related equipment in the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for medical devices.
Industry associations had asked for more sops to lower India’s import dependency, The Economic Times reported.
“Duty on components and raw materials or capital equipment to produce oxygen related medical equipment can also be reduced to zero,” an official told the publication.
Also read: Explained | Why India is short of oxygen tankers
Moneycontrol could not independently verify the story.
The second wave of COVID-19 cases in the country has caused a sharp spike in the requirement for medical oxygen.
The government had in April waived customs duty on import of medical oxygen and some oxygen-related equipment such as cylinders, concentrators, and storage tanks, effective for a period of three months.
The Economic Times reported that the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), NITI Aayog and the the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) are working on a plan to further boost availability of medical oxygen in the country.
The government is considering MRP labelling and price rationalisation of oxygen concentrators, the report said.
The plan is also looking at allowing import of zeolite to an aluminium state-run company, the report added. Zeolite is used in oxygen concentrators to absorb nitrogen.
“Deliberations are on and the PMO has directed that a plan be drawn up to reduce any oxygen shortage in the country,” an official told the publication.
