Keeping Covid 19 surge in mind and augment supply of oxygen and related equipment, the Narendra Modi government has decided to waive off basic customs duty and health cess on certain equipment and Covid related vaccines. The decision comes after Prime Minister chaired a high-level meeting to review steps taken to boost oxygen availability in the country. The PM emphasized that there was an immediate need to augment the supply of medical grade oxygen as well as equipment required for patient care both at home and in hospitals. PM stressed that all ministries and departments need to work in synergy to increase availability of oxygen and medical supplies.  

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PM was briefed that basic customs duty was exempted on Remdesivir and its API recently. It was suggested that import of equipment related to providing oxygen to patients needs to be expedited.  In order to augment their production and availability and to meet the rising demand, it was decided to grant full exemption from Basic Customs Duty and health cess on import of the following items related to Oxygen and Oxygen related equipment for a period of three months with immediate effect. The following items will see exemption from customs duty and health cess:  

-Medical grade Oxygen 

-Oxygen concentrator along with flow meter, regulator, connectors and tubing 

-Vacuum Pressure Swing Absorption (VPSA) and Pressure Swing Absorption (PSA) oxygen plants, Cryogenic Oxygen Air Separation Units (ASUs) producing liquid/ gaseous oxygen 

-Oxygen Cannister 

-Oxygen Filling Systems 

-Oxygen Storage tanks, Oxygen cylinders including cryogenic cylinders and tanks 

- Oxygen Generators 

- ISO Containers for Shipping Oxygen 

- Cryogenic Road transport tanks for Oxygen 

- Parts of the above to be used for the manufacture of equipment for production, transportation, distribution or storage of Oxygen 

- Any other device from which Oxygen can be generated 

- Ventilators (capable of functioning as high-flow devices) with nasal canula; Compressors including all accessories and tubing; humidifiers and Viral filters 

- High flow nasal canula device with all attachments 

- Helmets for use with non-invasive ventilation 

- Non-invasive ventilation oronasal masks for ICU ventilators 

- Non-invasive ventilation nasal masks for ICU ventilators 

Apart from the above, it was also decided that Basic Customs Duty on import of Covid vaccines be also exempted with immediate effect for a period of 3 months.