CHANDIGARH: With total 128 Punjab manufacturers approved for production of personal protection equipment (PPE), chief minister Amarinder Singh has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking permission to export the surplus.
Amarinder said these manufacturers had risen to the occasion in the wake of Covid-19 outbreak to make Punjab self-reliant in this critical equipment needed by frontline warriors in the fight against the pandemic.
Permitting them to export the PPE body coveralls “would also give an impetus to the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan recently launched by the government of India under your leadership”, he said in his letter to the Prime Minister, requesting him to consider giving permission for the same.
Citing the surplus capacity of production and quality of products by these units, which started manufacturing after obtaining certification from South India Textiles Research Association (Sitra) or Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Amarinder said it appears that there is not enough domestic demand of PPE at present.
These manufacturers are finding it difficult to obtain orders from HLL, he pointed out, adding that of the 128 approved manufacturers, only 18 units have received orders from the government of India.
The approved manufacturers have a cumulative current capacity to manufacture 5,21,050 PPE coveralls every day.
Besides, with the manufacturers possessing significant ability to further scale up the total capacity, the potential for exports is massive, he noted.