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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that providing medical grade oxygen to different states during the second wave of COVID-19 was a challenge, but the Indian Air Force, the railways, and scores of tanker drivers worked overtime to ensure it was delivered on time to those in need.

In his monthly ‘Mann ki Baat’ radio address, he also touched upon his government’s seventh anniversary on Sunday and said the nation has followed the mantra of “sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas” in this period.

“There have been many moments of national pride,” he said.

Apart from many successes, there were some stern tests as well, he said, referring to the pandemic. “The nation fought its first wave with courage, and this too will be defeated,” he asserted.

Speaking of various natural disasters, the prime minister said more lives were saved compared to the past. He also underlined that the Centre and the states are working together to mitigate the sufferings of the people.

Modi spoke with a liquid oxygen tanker driver, a woman railway driver, and an Air Force officer involved in the transportation of oxygen and related equipment to drive home the point on how these people are working overtime to ensure oxygen reaches those in need.

In normal times, the daily production of liquid medical oxygen was 900 MT, which has now risen over 10 times to nearly 9,500 MT, the prime minister noted.

He said despite the pandemic, the farmers ensured record production of the crop and the government also made record procurement.