New Delhi:The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will set up 500 medical oxygen plants within the next three months from the allocation made by the PM Cares Fund, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Wednesday.
"The medical oxygen plant (MOP) technology developed by DRDO for on-board oxygen generation for light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas will now help in fighting the current crisis of oxygen for COVID-19 patients," the minister said on Twitter.
India is grappling with the rising number of coronavirus cases and hospitals in several states are reeling under a shortage of medical oxygen and beds.
The DRDO, in a statement, explained that transfer of MOP technology has been done to Bengaluru-based Tata Advanced Systems Limited and Coimbatore-based Trident Pneumatics and these two companies will set up 380 plants.
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Moreover, 120 plants of 500 litres per minute capacity will be set up by industries working with the Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun, it mentioned.
The MOP of the DRDO is designed to generate 1,000 litres oxygen per minute, it noted.