Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas & Steel Shri Dharmendra Pradhan today dedicated Phase-I of JUMBO COVID CARE facility at RINL, Visakhapatnam Steel Plant township with 300 Oxygen equipped Beds in the service of nation. In the virtual ceremony, the Minister of State for Steel Shri Faggan Singh Kulaste, Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and Health minister Shri A. Kali Krishna Srinivas, AP Industries & Commerce Minister Shri M. Goutham Reddy, Panchayati Raj & Rural Development, Mines & Geology Minister of AP Shri P. Ramachandra Reddy, Members of Parliament and MLAs, Secretary, Ministry of Steel, Government of India, and Officials of the Government of India, Government of Andhra Pradesh, and RINL were present.

Describing the inauguration of Covid Care Centre at RINL as a perfect example of Cooperative Federalism, Shri Pradhan said that in a democracy, the Government is responsible for the welfare and well-being of people. He acknowledged the cooperation and support of the state Government and District administration in helping the PSU in quick implementation of the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of “Jahan Bimaar, wahin Upchaar”. “Following his call, we have mobilised steel companies to create Jumbo Covid care centres with oxygen supply near the steel plants.” he added.

Shri Pradhan said that we are in the midst of COVID second wave. “To a large extent, we have overcome the challenge of availability of oxygen, Remedesvir and other medicines. Our next challenge is to vaccinate our vast population. With our domestic producers expanding their production and ongoing talks with global vaccine producers, vaccine supply is set to receive substantial augmentation from June onwards. I am glad that RINL with the cooperation of the state Government, is vaccinating people. I call upon RINL to purchase more vaccines to vaccinate people in the periphery area, with the collaboration of the state Government.”

The Union Minister complimented the steel plants for standing by the people during the Covid-19 pandemic. He said that RINL too has gone beyond the call of duty to ensure supply of liquid medical oxygen to various parts of the country. The First Oxygen Express from RINL reached Maharashtra on 23rd April with 100 ton of LMO. Since 1st of April this year, more than 6500 ton of LMO have been supplied and overall more than 15000 MT of LMO has been supplied by RINL which is a great service in these unprecedented times.

Shri Pradhan said that today’s 300-bedded facility is just a beginning. This COVID care centre is going to give much-needed boost to the health infrastructure in the region in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic. He said that activities are on to commission the new BOO plant at the earliest which can add further generating capacity of 100 MT LMO. In the second Phase, the capacity of the Covid care centre will be augmented to make it 1000 bed facility.

Presently, 100 beds have been placed at Trainee Hostel-1and 200 beds at Gurjada Kalakshetram, all of which have been fabricated in-house. The central oxygen supply system with Cylinder bank delivering oxygen to all the beds at Gurjada Kalakshetram has been designed and setup by employees of the organization.

*****

YB