On April 20, 2021, Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh reviewed the preparedness of MoD and Armed Forces to deal with the recent spike in COVID-19 cases across the country. He was informed about:
- Establishment of COVID care centre by HAL in Bengaluru
- Re-establishment of COVID-19 facility and effort to increase beds from 250 to 500 at Delhi.
- Progress on the establishment of COVID hospital at Patna, Muzaffarpur, Lucknow, Varanasi and Ahmedabad.
- Technology-based on On-Board Oxygen Generation Technology developed for LCA Tejas, and a 1000 litre/minute capacity oxygen generation plants technology has been given to the industry. UP government has placed the order of 5 such plants with the industry.
- Availability of DRDO developed SpO2 supplemental Oxygen Delivery System for soldiers posted at extreme high-altitude areas for Covid-19 patients.
Raksha Mantri asked the DPSUs, OFB and DRDO to work on war footing to provide oxygen cylinders and extra beds to civil administration/state governments at the earliest. He asked the Armed Forces to:
- Be in close contact with State Government and be ready to provide any required assistance.
- Procure critical medical requirements under emergency powers of procurement.
- Utilise services of vaccinated ESMs to assist the civil administration to deal with the current situation.
