Amid rising COVID-19 cases, Union govt caps price of liquid medical oxygen

Sept. 26: As the number of novel coronavirus cases in the country are increasing, a huge number of patients in almost all the states are administered oxygen as they have been suffering from respiratory diseases. However, on the flip side, there are several complaints of hoarding, shortages & exorbitant hike in price of liquid oxygen used for treating patients of COVID-19. India’s demand for medical oxygen has increased by almost four times to 2,800 tonnes a day.

To put an end to such scrupulous activities, the central government has now decided to cap the price of liquid medical oxygen. As such, the government has capped manufacturers’ prices at ₹ 15.22 per cubic metre (CUM). Prices of a cubic metre of medical oxygen delivered by cylinder to end-users has been fixed at ₹ 25.71, higher than the previous ceiling price of 17.49 per cubic metre. It needs mention here that the new ceiling prices are applicable for six months and exclude taxes.