The Central Government on Thursday cleared a proposal from Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and permitted the use of oxygen for industrial use.
Baghel thanked Union Minister for Industries Piyush Goyal for clearing the proposal. The Centre has cleared the use of oxygen in 11 steel industries in the State, an official communication said.
Baghel urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 16 and Goyal that steel industries should be allowed to use 20 percent quantity of oxygen produced in Chhattisgarh.
Modi had assured Baghel that he will consider his reqest.
The Chief Minister had stated that the total daily oxygen production capacity of various units in Chhattisgarh is 462 tonnes. Under normal circumstances, oxygen is supplied to the steel makers in the state by the oxygen manufacturers.
He said the oxygen producing units are suffering due to lack of demand for oxygen while the steel making units in the state are shut due to lack of oxygen. The Centre had banned the industrial use of oxygen due to Covid-19.