Parul
As per reports, the ministry of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), has issued a notification asking all business entrepreneurs and suppliers to inform the government whether they are dealing with essential items required for fighting coronavirus outbreak.
The MSME ministry has issued a list of 39 items in medical supplies and 62 items in auxiliary supplies. The ministry’s notification also states that all the manufacturers and suppliers who deal with the listed items can inform the state government/UT of the state/UT or register as supplier in Government e Market Place (GeM).
As per the notification released, the list of items in medical supplies includes ventilators, IV fluids, glucometer with strips, alcohol-based hand rub, face shield, protective gowns/aprons, oxygen cylinders, biohazard bags, wheel chairs, medicine, among many others.
Meanwhile, in auxiliary items, the government is looking out for manufacturers or suppliers of soaps, candles, matches, extension boards, mattresses, tool sets, whistles, blankets, mosquito repellents, diapers, steel utensils, etc.
In fact, the central government has also asked automobile manufacturers to use their facilities to make ventilators to boost the country’s capacity of making such machines in view of a spike in COVID-19 cases in the country. It also reported that the defence research and development organisation (DRDO) will begin manufacturing 20,000 N-95 masks per day from the next week.
Besides this the ministry has asked the Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), a public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Defence, to manufacture 30,000 ventilators in the next two months in collaboration with local manufacturers. While, two domestic manufacturers are producing 50,000 N-95 masks per day. This is expected to go up to one lakh per day within next week, the report said.
