Bengaluru: Coronavirus pandemic is a crisis. But this crisis has been used as an opportunity to bring out the hidden prowess in Union textile ministry. 
 
Smriti Irani, the minister concerned, said that India was able to produce 60 million PPEs and 150 million N-95 masks domestically during the ongoing pandemic crisis that led to a shortage of medical equipment.
 
She was delivering the keynote address at a webinar “A Movement Towards AtmaNirbhar Bharat” on December 11. 
 
“Even though the thrust on PPE manufacturing was necessitated by the health crisis, the success of PPE has opened new doors for indigenous manufacturers in other industries as well,” she said, as quoted by Organiser. 

She further added, “No one in the industry asked for a subsidy, nor the govt. offered it. Another thing I’m proud of is that in a lockdown state, we have ensured 5 lakh sustainable direct jobs. That is the part of the PPE and testing swab revolution that has not been highlighted”.
 
The minister said “We did not dilute the international standards. We are the only industry that came up in a lockdown in the entire world economy and we did it either at a comparative cost or at 10% of import cost. Not only we expanded in size but we are also comparative with the best in the world in terms of cost. I can rejoice in the fact that industry and Government came together.” 

While countries began to limit their export of PPE kits, India was estimated to require more than 20 Million PPE Kits and 40 Million N-95 class masks by July 2020. Beating all odds, India developed an indigenous network of PPE fabric and garment manufacturers in just 60 days. By mid-May, India had the capacity to manufacture 4.5 lakhs pieces of body coveralls and 2.5 lakhs N-95 masks per day. India also began exporting PPE’s to the US, the UK, Senegal, Slovenia, and UAE. Today the N-95 manufacturing capacity has reached 32 lakh per day with 200 manufacturers.