Restrictions on the export of medical supplies, including EPI coveralls, 2/3 layer masks and disinfectants, which are key in the fight against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), have been lifted, said the Minister of Commerce and Industry of the Union, Piyush Goyal, on Wednesday.
In a written response to the Lok Sabha, Goyal reported that the export ban on various medical items such as face shields, hydroxychloroquine APIs and their formulations, and 13 other pharmaceutical APIs and their formulations was removed.
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Disinfectants can now also be exported, except when in containers with dispensing pumps. The government has also lifted the ban on the export of ventilators.
While the export of diagnostic kits, N-95 / FFP2 masks is currently restricted, they can be exported at a limited monthly quota, the Commerce Ministry said in the statement.
The ban on the export of medical supplies was implemented earlier this year to ensure national availability of the items in light of the growing number of Covid-19 cases in the country. The restrictions have been relaxed after a periodic assessment of internal requirements, production capacity and the availability of surplus products for export, the statement added.
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The government also praised the increase in domestic production of the items to meet the requirement amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Goyal said that before March 20, India was importing PPE coveralls as domestic production was very limited. However, now the domestic production has risen to 1.5 million units per month and thus the lifting of the export ban, he added.
The availability of alcohol-based hand sanitizers, which was previously 10 lakh liters per year, has subsequently increased to 38 lakh liters per day, thus lifting the ban on their export, it said in a statement.
The minister also noted the increase in the production of domestically made fans, which he said was negligible before January 2020.
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