IAF carried out 23 sorties from abroad, airlifting 39 oxygen containers: Rajnath Singh
Apr 30, 2021
New Delhi [India], April 30 : Helping the nation in fight against COVID-19, the Indian Air Force (IAF) carried out 23 sorties from abroad, airlifting 39 oxygen containers till yesterday, informed Union Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh on Friday.
The IAF is continuing to carry out sorties from within India and abroad to cater to the requirement of oxygen in the country, amid the current COVID-19 situation.
The Defence Minister's Office tweeted, "As on April 29, 2021, IAF carried out 23 sorties from abroad, airlifting 39 oxygen containers with 670 MT of capacity, while from within the country, it carried out 124 sorties, airlifting 87 containers with 1,798 MT capacity."
An IL-76 aircraft landed in Lucknow carrying supplies for setting up of COVID hospital in the city, the tweet further read. 
Earlier today, the ministry informed that Cantonment Boards have extended a helping hand to civil administration/State Governments in various parts of the country to tide over the current COVID-19 situation. "They are providing support to not just its residents, but to all those in need of medical assistance."
"Presently 39 Cantonment Boards (CB) are maintaining 40 general hospitals with 1,240 beds. The CB hospitals at Pune, Kirkee and Deolali with 304 beds have been designated as dedicated COVID hospitals. Cantonment General Hospitals (CGHs) of Kirkee, Deolali, Dehuroad, Jhansi and Ahmednagar have been designated as COVID care centres with 418 beds", informed the release.
On April 24, Singh held a review meeting with ministry officials to discuss ongoing efforts to combat the COVID-19 situation in the country, informed ministry sources.
He held a review meeting virtually which was attended by Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, Army Chief Gen MM Naravane, Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh and DRDO chairman G Satheesh Reddy and others officials.
