FM Nirmala Sitharaman urges industry to wait and watch for next few days to assess situation amid 2nd wave of Covid-19

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has urged the industry to wait and watch for next few days to assess the situation amid the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic and assured them of full government support. She was addressing the FICCI National Executive Committee Members through virtual mode.

Speaking on the oxygen supply, Ms Sitharaman said that the supply has been very neatly mapped and new permissions have been given particularly for the hard stressed 12 states. 

The supply is being monitored at district level along with reviews which are being undertaken and for next 15 days they will be closely monitored. She said, the government has exempted all inter-state



movement of oxygen tankers, exempted from registration and permits and  they can operate round the clock, she said, cylinder filling plants are operating 24 hours to fill the gaps with necessary safeguards.

 

Elaborating on the augmented pharma capacity, she stated that steps have been taken adequately for drugs which are important and the government has given fast-track approvals for Remdesvir production. 

The Finance Minister also said that as soon as the medical oxygen demand will be met, the industry would also get the necessary supply of oxygen since the import of medical oxygen has been allowed.