Covid-19: Centre allocates essentials received from global community

The unprecedented surge in Covid-19 cases and mortality has overwhelmed the health infrastructure of several States and Union Territories. The global community, in a bid to help India during the crisis,  has extended a helping hand in supporting the efforts of the Government of India in this collective fight against the global Covid-19 pandemic by providing medical equipment, medicines, oxygen concentrators, and ventilators among other necessities. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, a streamlined and systematic mechanism for allocation of the support supplies received by India has been put into place, for effective distribution of the medical and other relief and support material.

As per an official release, the Indian Customs is sensitive to the need for availability of Covid-related imports including Oxygen and Oxygen related equipment, and is working 24 x 7 to fast track and clear the goods on arrival and lead to expeditious clearance within hours.

“The steps taken for expeditious clearance on fast track basis are as follows: The goods are given high priority for clearance by the Customs Systems for processing over other goods. Nodal officers also get alert on email for monitoring and clearance. Monitoring by senior officers for pendency of COVID related imports is also being undertaken. The handholding to the trade is given for complying with the requirements beforehand. Outreach activities and helpdesk enables trade to get the goods cleared on arrival,” it said.

“When imported free of cost and distributed freely, based on the state government certification, IGST is also waived. Further, for the import of oxygen concentrators for personal use, IGST has been reduced from 28 per cent to 12 per cent,” it states.

Union Health Ministry has created a cell under Additional Secretary [Health], MoHFW to coordinate the receipt and allocation of foreign COVID relief material as grants, aid and donations.

“The materials are being given by countries due to the immediate and urgent requirements in different parts of the country. This help is over and above what the Government of India is already providing, and is thus additionality for the states and UTs. Later on, supplies coming from private companies, and entities also started routing through the NitiAyog and are handled by this cell,” an official media release said.

Apart from this, MoHFW said a high-level committee under CEO, NITI Aayog and comprising Secretary Expenditure, MEA and officials of Niti Aayog and MoHFW has also been formed to oversee the whole operation.

The Ministry of External Affairs is the nodal agency for channeling offers of help from foreign countries and coordinates with missions abroad.

Ministry said that for all consignments received via MEA and coming as donations from foreign countries, the consignee is the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS).

“Upon receipt of the papers outlined in the process flow chart, IRCS issues the necessary certificates immediately to HLL for processing customs and regulatory clearances at Airports. IRCS also ensures liaison with MoHFW and HLL so that delays are reduced and quick turnarounds are achieved,” it stated.

“Accessibility and the immediate use of resources to save lives drive the need for immediate allocation of short-notice incoming consignments. The materials from abroad are currently coming in different numbers, specifications and at different times. Hence there is a need to reconcile the distribution logistics with the need to reach the materials as expeditiously as possible to the states. Donor countries consignment details get confirmed only after the consignment gets booked in the country of origin.”