The Central Board of Indirect Taxes (CBIC) has provided relaxations under Gas Cylinders Rules, 2016 to fast track approvals for imported cylinders and pressure vessels for storage and transportation of medical oxygen.
The Government has reviewed the existing procedure for approval of global manufacturers for importing oxygen cylinders by the Petroleum and Explosive Safety Organization (PESO).
In view of the COVID pandemic, PESO shall not carry out a physical inspection of global manufacturers’ production facilities before granting of such approval. Now, such approvals shall be granted online without any delay on submission of manufacturer’s particulars; ISO certificate of the manufacturer; List of Cylinders their specifications, drawings & batch number; Hydro test certificate and Third-Party inspection Certificate. Every foreign manufacturer/importer who wants to import oxygen cylinders is required to apply for import permission through the PESO online system.
In view of an emergent situation, procedures are relaxed and the following process is to be followed wherever due to unavoidable circumstances or urgencies, a consignment of oxygen cylinders, ISO containers, or PSA plants or its related equipment has already arrived in India, without taking import permission from PESO. The filling permission for these cylinders will be issued based on the following relaxation in the rules. The same procedure will apply for the import of further such equipment in case the online approvals have not been taken.
The Ministry said, as such, Certification of PESO will not be mandatory pre-shipment, however, it’s certification will be required before use of the oxygen cylinders which entails weight and hydro testing.
The Indian Missions should however ensure that the oxygen cylinders should comply with Indian or International standards before shipment.
In case of filled cylinders, the agency exporting to India shall certify that the oxygen-filled in the cylinder is of such purity and concentration that it is fit for medical use.
The certification shall be attested by the Indian Mission in the exporting country.
It said, soon upon receipt in India, such filled cylinders will be inspected on a sample basis by an empanelled agency of PESO and certified as fit for medical use.
The Ministry also said Pressure Swing Adsorption- PSA plants where generated oxygen is directly supplied to hospital and no filling of cylinders is taking place, they do not need any permission or license under rules administered by PESO and can be allowed.
These relaxations will be valid for a period of six months or till further orders of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade.
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