In order to augment production and availability of providing oxygen to patients, the government has 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 products to be exempted are: 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 canister; oxygen filling systems; oxygen storage tanks; oxygen cylinders including cryogenic cylinders and tanks; oxygen generators; ISO containers for shipping oxygen; and 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 cannula; Compressors including all accessories and tubing; humidifiers and viral filters; high flow nasal cannula device with all attachments; helmets for use with non-invasive ventilation; non-invasive ventilation oronasal masks for ICU ventilators; and non-invasive ventilation nasal masks for ICU ventilators are also exempted.

Apart from the above, it was also decided that Basic Customs Duty on import of COVID-19 vaccines be also exempted with immediate effect for a period of 3 months.

This will boost availability of these items as well as make them cheaper. The Prime Minister directed the Revenue Department to ensure seamless and quick custom clearance of such equipment. Accordingly, the Department of Revenue has nominated Gaurav Masaldan, Joint Secretary, Customs, as the nodal officer for issues related to customs clearance for the above-mentioned items.

Finance Minister, Commerce and Industry Minister, Health Minister, Principal Secretary to the PM, Member NITI Aayog, Dr. Guleria and Secretaries of the department of Revenue, Health and DPIIT & other officials participated in the meeting.