New Delhi: The Centre will provide supplementary stocks of oxygen to states, run special ‘oxygen trains’ and has even prohibited its use for industrial purposes. Centre on Sunday announced various measures to address the issue of flailing oxygen supply in states, including Maharashtra and Delhi, as their healthcare infrastructure and medical stocks choke under burgeoning infections.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal, after an elaborate meeting with 12 states, said that the government has mapped the requirements of each state and has decided to release 6,177 metric tonnes of oxygen. Of this, worst-affected Maharashtra has been allotted the biggest share of 1,500 metric tonnes, Delhi 350 metric tonnes and Uttar Pradesh 800 metric tonnes, he said.

Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said that in view of the rapid rise in Covid-19 cases and resultant rapid demand for medical oxygen, particularly in high-burden states of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, the central government-constituted Empowered Group-II has reviewed the supply of oxygen for industrial use in order to divert the same to meet the rising demand for medical oxygen in the country and save precious lives.