Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting with top officials to review the COVID-19 related situation in India. While discussing the oxygen shortage across the country, Modi instructed officials to work closely with state governments to start oxygen plants at the earliest.

According to the official statement, Modi chaired three meetings and discussed oxygen shortage and ways to further scale up capacities. He also got an overview of how the government can create more medical infrastructure and raise awareness on COVID-19 protocols across the country.

Also read: Over 10K O2 concentrators to be airlifted from several countries in next 7 days: Centre

“PM instructed the officials to work closely with state governments to start the PSA Oxygen plants at the earliest. Officers also apprised the PM that they are encouraging states to also set up PSA Oxygen plants,” the statement read.

The production of liquid medical oxygen (LMO) has risen to 8,922 MT per day and is expected to cross 9,250 MT by the end of the month, the government said on Tuesday, noting that it was only 5,700 MY in August last year, the officials told Modi.

Modi was also briefed about the functioning of the Oxygen Express Railways service as well as the domestic and international sorties undertaken by the Air Force to transport oxygen tankers.

Also read: Lost count of bodies that are being cremated daily: Delhi crematorium priest

The empowered group working on the medical infrastructure and COVID-19 management briefed him on efforts being undertaken to ramp up the availability of beds and ICUs.

They informed him on efforts to break the chain of transmission with Modi stressing the need to ensure that specific guidelines and strategies evolved regarding the COVID management needs to be properly implemented by relevant agencies in the states.

Cabinet Secretary, Home Secretary, Secretary RT&H, Secretary I&B, Secretary Pharmaceuticals, Member NITI Aayog, DG ICMR, Secretary Biotechnology & other senior officers were present in the meeting.