The Maharashtra government will run oxygen plants across the state, mostly non-functional due to less demand, under the public-private partnership (PPP) model, said public health minister Prakash Abitkar in the state legislative council on Friday.
The minister was responding to a question raised by MLC Eknath Khadse (NCP–Sharad Pawar faction), who highlighted that several oxygen plants set up during the pandemic are lying unused. Khadse pointed out that in Jalgaon district, some plants were incomplete, yet payments had been made to contractors. He said many running plants are incurring electricity bills worth lakhs of rupees every month despite remaining idle.
“Instead of allowing them to deteriorate, the government should run them on PPP model so that oxygen can be supplied to private hospitals and industries, while also ensuring its maintenance,” Khadse said.
“A proposal is submitted to the government to operate the oxygen plants under the PPP model,” Abitkar said, adding that conditions will be included in the agreement to ensure that the government can take over the plants during any future emergency or disaster.