Controlled ‘unlocking’ in UP from June 1

Virendra Singh Rawat

Lucknow / May 31, 2021

 

With the daily positivity rate dwindling amid a marked improvement in the Covid-19 active cases, the Uttar Pradesh government has allowed for controlled ‘unlocking’ in 61 of 75 districts from June 1.

 

The districts which have less than 600 active cases will witness a relaxation in Corona Curfew outside containment zones. The state has permitted the lifting of day curfew in such districts between 7 am and 7 pm.

 

However, the weekend curfew on Saturday and Sunday apart from the night curfew would stay across the state, while the shopping malls, cinema, gyms, clubs, educational institutions etc would remain shut too.

 

Major cities including Lucknow, Meerut, Saharanpur, Varanasi, Ghaziabad, Gorakhpur, Muzaffarnagar, Bareilly and Noida would remain under ‘lockdown’ for the time being.

 

The remaining 14 districts would see automatic revocation of Corona Curfew from the day their active case load slips below 600 on the basis of the daily health department report.

 

The restaurants would only be allowed to home deliver food even as the eateries lining the state highways could function after following the norms.

 

Meanwhile, the transport and logistics companies, warehouses etc would be allowed to function to cater the ferrying of essential commodities such as food, medicines etc.

 

EOM

UP invokes ESMA to ban strike by government staff

Virendra Singh Rawat

Lucknow / May 28, 2021

Amid the spiral of second wave of Covid -19 pandemic in Uttar Pradesh, the Yogi Adityanath government has invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA), 1966 banning strikes in all departments and corporations for six months.

The provisions of ESMA empowers the state police to arrest a person, without a warrant, if found violating the stringent provisions of the Act.

In a UP Government Order (GO), which has already been ratified by Governor Anandiben Patel, state additional chief secretary Mukul Singhal said the invoking of the ESMA was deemed “expedient in the public interest…”

The prohibitive order encompasses any public service in connection with the affairs of the state of UP, and any service under a corporation owned or controlled by the state government or under a local authority.

Under ESMA, the government employees pertaining to scheduled essential services like post and telegraph, railway, airport and port operations are prohibited from proceeding to a strike.

The Act mandates imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or fine which may extend to Rs 1,000, or with both, to any person who instigates a strike which is deemed illegal under the Act.

Interestingly, the EMSA provisions are by default invoked at all times and the same are extended vide GO at the expiry of such terms.

UP to develop mobile app for Covid management

Virendra Singh Rawat

Lucknow / May 27, 2021

 

Even as the Covid-19 second wave is on a downward trajectory in Uttar Pradesh, the state government will now develop a user friendly mobile app to facilitate easy location of designated hospitals.

 

While government hospitals will also be geo-mapped, the mobile app will provide vital information regarding the number of doctors and paramedical staff, availability of drugs, medical infrastructure and location of these health care centres.

 

UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the state Covid-19 response team, referred to as ‘Team 9’, to prepare a database of all government run primary health centres (PHC), community health centres (CHC) and district hospitals.

 

“Our strategy of ‘test, trace and tread’ has proved to be effective against coronavirus. We are not only setting new record in the daily number of sample testing, but the number of cases is dwindling fast while the recovery rate is improving significantly,” he noted.

 

Meanwhile, the government is ramping up medical infrastructure for the treatment of black fungus patients. The state has mandated Lucknow-based Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) experts to monitor such cases in various government hospitals in Lucknow, Meerut, Gorakhpur, Varanasi etc.

 

The CM has ordered the state medical education department to ensure there was no shortage of Covid related drugs. At the same time, the state has adopted a proactive policy to deal with the exigency of possible third wave of Covid-19 as well. All 58 medical colleges in UP have been directed to set up 150 bed dedicated critical care units/wards each on priority.

 

So far, more than 1.3 million people in the 18-45 years bracket have been vaccinated in 23 districts of UP. From June 1, the vaccination drive for the category would cover all 75 districts. The state has floated a global tender to procure 40 million doses for universal inoculation.

UP government dialing to vaccine makers!

Virendra Singh Rawat

Lucknow / May 26, 2021

Having floated a global tender for procuring 40 million Covid-19 vaccine doses to inoculate an estimated 90 million people in the 18-45 years bracket, the Uttar Pradesh government is now proactively reaching out to the companies for bidding.

Interestingly, the state had relaxed bidding norms to allow more companies to participate in the tender process, which has so far met with little success not only in UP but in peer states as well.

Chairing a review meeting on Sunday, UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath said the state had floated a global tender for ensuring a seamless vaccination drive. “We should strive that more and more companies participate in the tender process, for which a sustained dialogue process should be kept alive with these firms.”

While the Centre has approved three vaccines for Covid-19, more vaccine brands are likely to be made available soon, Adityanath noted.

Currently, the Covid vaccination drive in UP for the 18-45 years category is underway in 23 districts. From June 1, it would cover all 75 districts. Since, Covaxin and Covishield jabs manufactured by Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute of India (SII) respectively are being used, he instructed officials to coordinate with the two companies.

At the pre-bid meeting virtually convened by UP Medical Supplies Corporation (UPMSC) on May 12, the representatives of vaccine manufacturers had suggested amendments in the global tender criteria.

The pre-bid meet was attended by the representatives of Pfizer, SII, Bharat Biotech, Dr Reddy’s Lab (Indian licensee for Russia made Sputnik), Zydus Cadila apart from a South Korean firm.

Later, UP amended the norm of storing vaccines between 2-8 degree Celsius, and allowed firms to participate even if their vials needed storage at sub-zero temperatures. The 2-8 degree Celsius storage condition had rendered Pfizer and Moderna out of contention since their mRNA (messenger RNA) vaccines have to be stored at minus 20-80 degree Celsius.

Further, the state halved the earnest money deposit (EMD) criteria for the participating firms from Rs 16 crore to Rs 8 crore.

Interestingly, the SII expressed its inability to participate in the tender citing large volumes of orders it had already had. Pfizer representative said the company was expecting to receive the approval of the Centre for supplying its vaccine.

Zydus Cadila representative said the company’s vaccine was in the clinical trial stage and regular Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) was yet to give its nod to the manufacture and supply of vaccines in India, but it was expected next month.

Last month, UP had directly placed an order for 10 million doses, 5 million each to Bharat Biotech and SII. Apart from global tender of 40 million doses and direct order of 10 million doses, the state will receive additional vaccines from the Centre for the vaccination programme.

Bill Gates’ philanthropic arm to set up O2 plants in UP

Virendra Singh Rawat

Lucknow / May 24, 2021

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Microsoft founder Bill Gates, will set up 10 oxygen plants in Uttar Pradesh, which is fast ramping up medical oxygen infrastructure to overcome the current second wave and possible third wave of Covid-19.

The 10 oxygen plants to be set up by the Foundation are among the proposed 485 new oxygen plants to be established in the public and private sectors in UP.

According to the UP government, 59 oxygen plants will be set up by the private sector under the corporate social responsibility (CSR) route, of which three units had already been installed.

As part of the state’s mission to achieve self-sufficiency in medical oxygen, the government is working on a war footing to establish 258 oxygen plants in the state sector alone.

Besides, UP has also sent proposals to the Centre for setting up 167 plants to end the state’s dependence on oxygen from other states.

More than 40 oxygen plants are being funded by the members of parliament and members of state legislature by contributing money from their local area development purse even as the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) will be used to establish 25 plants.

Meanwhile, the private and government sector sugar mills in UP have planned to set up 79 oxygen plants.

At the same time, the initiatives of oxygen audit and software based tracking have curbed leakages and ensured adequate supply of oxygen across 75 districts.

While 33 oxygen plants have been set up, the work was underway on 258 plants. A total of 188 new oxygen plants are to be set up from the PM Cares Fund, of which five have been established while the work is underway on 16 others.

Earlier this month, the Yogi Adityanath government had announced a dedicated oxygen policy to attract private investment in the now critical segment. The UP Oxygen Production Promotion Policy 2021 is aimed at encouraging private companies to foray in the manufacture of medical and industrial oxygen by offering capital subsidy and stamp duty exemption.

Industry wants ‘essential commodity’ tag for steel

Virendra Singh Rawat

Lucknow / May 20, 2021

 

In the backdrop of rising domestic steel prices and recent diversion of oxygen from manufacturing towards the medical use, the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector has urged the Uttar Pradesh government to notify steel under the Essential Commodities Act.

 

In a memorandum sent to UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, Indian Industries Association (IIA), an umbrella of nearly 5,000 MSMEs, said steel should be notified as an essential commodity in wake of the recent upsurge in prices and resultant impact on steel-based industries.

 

The prices of iron and steel, copper, aluminum, plastic and rubber have increased drastically in recent weeks as compared to last year, while the entrepreneurs are in dire need of additional capital to keep their businesses afloat following the Covid-19 induced lockdown matrix, the Association claimed.

 

“There is an urgent need for instituting a proper mechanism in relation to controlling the price increase. Due to the coronavirus crisis, there has been an unprecedented increase in the demand for oxygen in the health sector. While, IIA supports the diversion of the commodity for medical uses, the steel industry is affected by the reduction in production in the steel sector,” IIA underlined seeking relief.

 

Despite muted domestic demand owing to Covid-19 lockdown and restrictions on movement, the steel price hike is primarily a fall-out of the international price movement, which has been ticking northwards after China restricted its exports.

 

Meanwhile, industry has also sought relaxations with regards to the repayment of business loans due to the lack of industrial activities and demand slump since last year.

 

“The entrepreneurs are saddled with the lack of liquidity coupled with fixed regular expenses in the form of salary, tax liability, interest payments etc. In such a situation, an economic package is required from the banks, such as offering financial assistance at a lower rate of interest,” the memorandum mentioned.

 

Due to weak market demand, muted capital flow and lack of resources, the repayment of installment of old loans to entrepreneurs is outweighed. In such a situation, there is a need to provide special facilities to banks for MSMEs, IIA noted.

 

Nonetheless, the UP entrepreneurs have expressed keenness to foray into the segment of oxygen generating plants and other life saving devices such as oxygen concentrators etc.

 

“It is suggested that a guideline should be formulated early regarding administrative and technical approval and clearance in this respect. Regarding technical support and guidance to the entrepreneurs, efforts should be made by the government, urging reputed institutions like DRDO, IIT for research and development,” the IIA memorandum underlined.

UP frames oxygen policy to attract investment

Virendra Singh Rawat

Lucknow / May 19, 2021

In the backdrop of rising demand for liquid medical oxygen (LMO) for the treatment of Covid-19 patients, the Uttar Pradesh government has announced a dedicated policy to attract private investment in the now critical segment.

The UP Oxygen Production Promotion Policy 2021 is aimed at encouraging the private sector for the manufacture of medical and industrial oxygen apart from creating fresh job opportunities by offering differential capital subsidy and stamp duty exemption depending upon the regions.

The state cabinet meeting virtually chaired by chief minister Yogi Adityanath recently approved the new policy, which has been drafted by the UP infrastructure and industrial development department.

Under the policy, the private investors will be eligible to avail of capital subsidy in three equal annual installments of 25 per cent for Bundelkhand and Purvanchal, 20 per cent for Mandhyanchal and 15 per cent for Pashchimanchal regions.

Besides, there will be 100 per cent stamp duty waiver for Bundelkhand and Purvanchal, 75 per cent for Madhyanchal and 50 per cent for Pashimanchal regions.

Although the supply of LMO in UP has breached the record levels of 1,000 tonnes per day, yet the state government has taken the policy decision to facilitate the setting up of O2 plants in the public and private sectors on a permanent basis to overcome contingent situations in future.

The early warning of a possible third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic has also made the Adityanath government to take preemptive measures for attaining self sufficiency in critical medical supplies.

The new policy will provide an enabling ecosystem to the private sector to foray into the entire oxygen/medical oxygen value chain comprising oxygen, oxygen cylinders, oxygen concentrators, cryogenic tankers, containers etc.

Earlier, the state government had even asked the state manufacturing industry to divert oxygen consumption from their industrial process for the medical use.

At present, the daily requirement of medical oxygen by the Covid hospitals and home isolation patients in the state is pegged at almost 1,200 tonnes. However, the daily liquid O2 production capacity in UP is merely 340 tonnes, including generation by oxygen separators. The remaining portion of the supply in the state is being sourced from the Centre and peer states.

Meanwhile, the UP cabinet also gave its nod to the UP Covid Emergency Financing Scheme to provide sops to existing industries producing notified medical items viz. oxygen, medical oxygen, hospital beds, ventilators etc.

The eligible units will be provided financial assistance from a special corpus. The policy will be valid for one year from the date of notification.

Currently, 300 oxygen plants are in the process of being set up in UP. The state is also encouraging the private sector to set up oxygen plants under the corporate social responsibility (CSR) route.

Yogi flags black marketing of black fungus drugs

Virendra Singh Rawat

Lucknow / May 17, 2021

In the backdrop of rising black fungus cases among Covid-19 patients, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath today warned against the black marketing of drugs used in its treatment.

Noting that black fungus was a rare disease, Yogi said the government would ensure easy availability of medicines and claimed the Centre was supporting the state in this regard.

“We should make arrangements for easy availability of medicines in the private sector as well. Under no circumstances, there should be any black marketing of drugs,” he directed the state’s high level Covid-19 response group ‘Team 9’.

He said black fungus cases had been reported in a few districts in some patients who have recovered from Covid-19. The state department of health and medical education has been tasked with ensuring such patients received timely treatment.

According to the wholesale and retail medicine traders in UP, the black fungus drugs are in a short supply owing to the sudden surge in demand. Since, it is a rare medical condition, the traders generally kept lower stocks of these medicines. However, the situation is expected to improve by next week when fresh supply comes.

Meanwhile, the Yogi government has formed a 12-member Covid-19 associated mucormycosis (CAM) team to deal with the black fungus phenomenon.

The team will be responsible for constituting Rapid Response Teams (RRTs), drafting treatment protocol, ensuring availability of drugs, database of cases, creation of teams in state medical colleges and hospitals, sensitisation of healthcare workers for early diagnosis and management of cases according to the ICMR guidelines.

The high-risk groups for black fungus are Covid-19 patients, patients with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus (DM), Type 2 DM patients on steroids therapy, patients receiving immuno-suppressive therapy and patients in ICU for a long time on oxygen therapy.

Yogi is on a touring spree since May 7 for getting a firsthand account of the Covid-19 situation and relief measures in UP. So far, he has visited the hinterland of Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Agra, Mathura and Aligarh districts.

UP drafts strategy for possible 3rd wave of Covid-19

Virendra Singh Rawat

Lucknow / May 16, 2021

Uttar Pradesh has prepared a strategy to counter a possible third wave of Covid-19 pandemic, chief minister Yogi Adityanath today said.

Talking to the media at the Film City in Noida, Adityanath said the coronavirus cases were fast receding in UP since the state government had taken effective steps on a war footing.

“We are working with full preparedness and vigilance. For possible third wave, directions have already been issued to the state community health centres, district hospitals and medical colleges to set up dedicated ICUs, especially for women and children,” he informed.

He noted it was imperative to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the villages, for which the state had formulated a smart ‘trace, test and treat’ model. This strategy has even been acknowledged by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Niti Aayog.

“If you identify an infected person early and start timely treatment, there are negligible chances of the case turning critical. Therefore, we are giving a medical kit along with the antigen test, so that even if the RT-PCR test result comes later, the treatment is underway,” Adityanath underlined.

The health officials have been directed to undertake digital x-ray on those patients, who show Covid symptoms yet their RT-PCR report is negative.

On an average, 250,000 tests are being conducted daily in UP, while nearly 45 million tests have been conducted on a cumulative basis so far.

“The ‘Team 11’ which was formed last year to control the first wave in UP has been dovetailed to ‘Team 9’ in the current second wave. In the last 24 hours, only 10,000 new cases have been reported, while the infection rate has dropped to 5 per cent from 22 per cent earlier,” he added.

So far, 15 million people have been vaccinated in UP even as the CM mentioned that the vaccination process would be further intensified.

Adityanath said he was on a touring spree since May 7 and so far visited the hinterland of Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Agra, Mathura and Aligarh districts. The state is taking steps to ensure villagers do not have to travel long distances for their vaccine shots, as such the vaccination would be administered at common areas in the rural pockets.

Powermen want frontline workers tag for vaccination

Virendra Singh Rawat

Lucknow / May 15, 2021

All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF), an umbrella of nearly 1.5 million employees pan India, has urged the Centre to declare powermen as Covid-19 frontline workers for facilitating their mass vaccination.

The Federation has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union power minister R K Singh to urgently instruct the various state governments in this respect.

AIPEF chairman Shailendra Dubey claimed about 1,000 power sector employees and engineers had so far succumbed to Covid-19, while more than 15,000 were infected.

In Maharashtra, a total of over 7,100 employees are Covid positive and about 210 have died. In Uttar Pradesh, more than 4,000 power sector employees are suffering from coronavirus and there have been 140 casualties, he lamented.

“In Haryana, 20 employees have died and 900 employees are affected by coronavirus. In Punjab, 700 employees are bedridden with coronavirus and there are about 20 casualties,” he added.

Earlier, the union power secretary, in his letter to the state chief secretaries, had acknowledged the role of electricity sector personnel in maintaining power supply. He had directed the states to hold mass vaccination camps to cover this category on priority.

UP to tap World Bank for Covid vaccination programme

Virendra Singh Rawat

Lucknow / May 12, 2021

Having launched the Covid vaccination programme to inoculate estimated 90 million people in the 18-45 year age bracket, the Uttar Pradesh government is eyeing World Bank funding for the gargantuan exercise.

According to UP micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) and export promotion minister Sidharth Nath Singh, the state was looking at “out of box” solutions to finance the health sector in the backdrop of the pandemic crisis.

“We are discussing the possibility of utilising a portion of undisbursed money, which is already financed by the World Bank, in improving the state healthcare sector comprising both treatment as well as vaccination,” he said.

The World Bank has been encouraging the developing countries to use its funds for their ongoing vaccination programmes to control the pandemic.

Singh informed the Yogi Adityanath government was also in discussion with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for financing private investment in the health sector.

Recently, the UP government had floated a global tender for procuring 40 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines. This was in addition to the order of 10 million doses, 5 million each to Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute of India (SII), which was placed by the state last month.

The short term global tender has been floated by state agency UP Medical Supply Corporation Limited (UPMSCL).

Besides, the UP government is drafting an oxygen policy to promote the participation of the private sector, especially MSMEs, by providing a host of incentives to meet the growing demand for liquid medical oxygen. The state has invited suggestions from industry to formulate a robust policy.

“The policy would offer incentives to encourage more investors in the sector,” Singh said during his recent virtual interaction with industrialists and investors under the aegis of UP Chapter of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

UP procures 2 million tonnes of wheat

Virendra Singh Rawat

Lucknow / May 11, 2021

Despite an unwavering second wave of Covid-19, the Uttar Pradesh government has reported a robust rabi marketing season 2021-22 with wheat procurement of more than 2 million tonnes (MT) and counting.

The state has directly transferred nearly Rs 4,100 crore to the bank accounts of the wheat farmers under the minimum support price (MSP) system.

Earlier, the government had hiked wheat MSP from Rs 1,925 in 2020-21 to Rs 1,975 in 2021-22, and ramped up the number of procurement centres by 20 per cent to 6,000 this year for seamless procurement in the backdrop of the pandemic and subsequent partial curfew.

The procurement season, which began on April 1 will continue till June 15, 2021, although the Yogi Adityanath government has already announced that the procurement centres would function till the farmers continued to sell their produce.

Earlier, the  Yogi Adityanath government had roped in Lucknow-based Remote Sensing Application Centre for geo-tagging of the purchase centres and grain storage to ensure transparency and weed out middlemen.

The state also engaged 150 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPO) to aid the procurement process and promote grassroots level rural entrepreneurs.

Last year, the state government could barely manage to procure 3.5 MT of wheat against the seasonal target of 5.5 MT due to the first wave of the pandemic. This year, the government has not set any target for the season.

O2 crisis: UP to float global tender for cryogenic tankers

Virendra Singh Rawat

Lucknow / May 9, 2021

To overcome liquid medical oxygen (LMO) shortage in the treatment of Covid-19 patients, the Uttar Pradesh government has decided to float a global tender for urgent procurement of cryogenic tankers.

Currently, 89 tankers have been pressed into service to transport medical oxygen in UP, while the O2 supply has touched a record level of 950 tonnes a day.

On Wednesday, the Centre had simplified the process of importing oxygen cylinders and cryogenic tankers to ease the supply in India.

Meanwhile, the UP government has started the process of ‘oxygen audit’ for ensuring transparency and speed in the allocation of oxygen. The state has directed for drafting district level oxygen plans depending upon the number of patients, case load etc.

The state is looking to promote the setting up of new oxygen plants, both in the public and private sectors. The government has also asked the state sugar mills and distilleries to set up medical oxygen units in their premises.

Recently, the Yogi Adityanath government had floated a global tender for procuring 40 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine. This is in addition to the order of 10 million doses, 5 million each to Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute of India (SII), which was placed by the state recently.

The short term global tender has been floated by UP Medical Supply Corporation Limited (UPMSCL). According to the e-tender notice, the companies could submit bids from May 7 to 21, while the tendering process would be governed as per the central government guidelines.

Amid 3rd wave warning, UP to intensify Covid vaccinations

Virendra Singh Rawat

Lucknow / May 7, 2021

Amid a stiff second wave and early warnings of an impending third wave of Covid-19, the Uttar Pradesh government has decided to intensify the ongoing vaccination programme.

In UP, about 10.5 million people have been administered more than 13.2 million first and second doses of Covishield and Covaxin shots so far.

UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath has directed health officials to expand the ambit of the vaccination, especially in the 18-45 years age bracket. An estimated 90 million people will be inoculated for free in this category in the state.

From next week, the government will start the vaccinations for this largely youth category in all the state municipal corporations, including Noida. Later, it would cover all the remaining districts/towns in UP.

Currently, the vaccination in the 18-45 years bracket is underway in only 7 worst affected districts, including Lucknow, Kanpur City, Prayagraj (Allahabad), Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Meerut and Bareilly. Since May 1, when the vaccination drive for this category took off pan India, nearly 70,000 beneficiaries have been inoculated in UP.

The state has already set up about 2,500 vaccination centres across 75 districts for all the targetted vaccination categories.

Meanwhile, Yogi stressed upon the need to further cut wastage of Covid vaccines to maximise the benefit matrix. At present, the vaccine wastage ratio is quite low in UP at 0.39 per cent, which the state is looking to bring down to 0 per cent.

On Wednesday, the UP government had floated a global tender for procuring 40 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine.

This was in addition to the order of 10 million doses, 5 million each to Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute of India (SII) for Covaxin and Covishield respectively, which was placed by the Yogi government last month.

The short term global tender has been floated by state agency UP Medical Supply Corporation Limited (UPMSCL). According to the e-tender notice, the interested companies could submit bids from May 7 to 21, while the tendering process would be governed as per the central government guidelines.

The Centre has allowed the states for procuring vaccines from global pharmaceutical companies, including Moderna, Sputnik and AstraZeneca.

UP floats global tender for 40 million vaccines

Virendra Singh Rawat

Lucknow / May 6, 2021

 

With targetted free inoculation of 90 million people in the 18-45 year age bracket, the Uttar Pradesh government has floated a global tender for procuring 40 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine.

 

This is in addition to the order of 10 million doses, 5 million each to Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute of India (SII), which was placed by the state government recently.

 

The short term global tender has been floated by state agency UP Medical Supply Corporation Limited (UPMSCL). The state government had been asked by the Centre to directly negotiate with the manufacturers with regards to pricing and supply.

 

According to the e-tender notice, the companies could submit bids from May 7 to 21, while the tendering process would be governed as per the central government guidelines.

 

Apart from the global tender and the order of 10 million vaccines placed with the two Indian companies, UP will also receive additional vaccines from the Centre for the ongoing vaccination programme.

 

Currently, 85 vaccination centres across 7 districts, which account for the maximum load of active coronavirus cases in UP, have been set up to inoculate the beneficiaries in the 18-45 year group. These districts are Lucknow, Kanpur City, Prayagraj (Allahabad), Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Meerut and Bareilly.

 

Later, it would cover other vaccination centres in UP across the remaining 68 districts as well.

 

So far, the state has set up about 2,500 vaccination centres across 75 districts for all the targetted categories.

 

So far, more than 10.5 million people have been administered about 13 million first and second doses in the state.

IIT Kanpur seeking partners to manufacture oxygen plants

Virendra Singh Rawat

Lucknow / May 5, 2021

Responding to the medical oxygen crisis amid second wave of Covid-19, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur has launched a 45-day open manufacturing challenge ‘Mission Bharat O2’ for developing ‘bedside oxygen concentrators and oxygen plants’.

The development comes at a time of emergency and will not be limited to a single manufacturer for delivering the product. The project will be anchored by the Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC), IIT Kanpur.

Oxygen concentrator is an invasive medical device with limited scope for product innovation, hence SIIC plans to decentralise the manufacturing process by engaging quality SMEs across states.

An ideal case scenario would be to work with a set of manufacturers in different regions of India with the target production capacity of 100 units per day with scale up, the Institute today said. The online application is already live at https://www.bharato2.in/.

Meanwhile, the manufacturing challenge task force is led by Prof Amitabha Bandyopadhyay, Professor In-charge, Innovation & Incubation, IIT Kanpur; Srikant Sastri, President, TiE Delhi-NCR; and Rahul Patel, Head of Strategic Initiatives, SIIC IIT Kanpur.

Prof Abhay Karandikar, IIT Kanpur director, said the Institute carried a legacy of serving the nation in times of urgent need. “When the first wave of Covid-19 hit India, SIIC incubated companies stepped up to deliver ‘Swasa’ N-95 masks, which have become the household name for protection against the pandemic, apart from Noccarc V310 ICU ventilator.”

“Both these products, developed locally, were testament to India’s capability to innovate at par with global standards. As the second wave hits India, IIT Kanpur and SIIC have decided to support more indigenous innovators, this time to address the oxygen crisis. I urge all eligible entrepreneurs to participate in Mission Bharat O2,” the director said.

At a weekly average of about 330,000 fresh Covid-19 cases across India, hospitals have run out of drugs, beds, ventilators and other life-saving drugs and equipment. To combat the overstretched healthcare systems, India plans to import 100,000 oxygen concentrators even as the country also needs to channel local resources to meet the surging demand.