DW BUREAU / Chandigarh Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday digitally inaugurated a 50-bed paediatric Covid care ward, set up at CMC hospital in Ludhiana. On the occasion, a Memorandum of Understanding was also signed, in the chief minister's presence, for setting up two oxygen plants in the district, for which 20 industries have donated Rs 1.2 crore, a government statement said here. The two plants will become functional at CMC, Ludhiana and Krishna Charitable Hospital within six to eight weeks, the statement quoted the Confederation of Indian Industries former president Rahul Ahuja as saying. Ahuja signed the MoU on behalf of the industry with the two hospitals. Under the agreement, 20 per cent of Oxygen treatment will be subsidized for poor patients. Chief Minister Singh said the pandemic was a major challenge and the state had to be prepared for the worst. Though nobody knows yet if there will be a third wave in India, Punjab was making all efforts to gear up for another possible surge, which could affect the children more, he added. Singh also urged the industry to motivate their employees to get vaccinated for their protection and that of all Punjabis. Lauding the industry's stellar role in supporting the state government's fight against the pandemic, the CM said the industry in Punjab had always been at the helm of extending a helping hand in every crisis. Vardhman and Oswal industries had helped with oxygen supplies when cases were at their peak at around 9,500 plus a day, he recalled. Though the cases had declined to 2,184 as of June 1, it was not possible to ascertain how long the crisis will continue, he said, asserting, however, that Punjab will win and come out of this. The chief minister congratulated the Police Public Foundation for the new Covid ward, for which it has provided financial assistance for medical infrastructure, as per the MoU signed by it with the CMC Hospital. The hospital has provided space, manpower services, administrative and technical support for the setting up of the ward, which is a Level 2 facility. Patients in this ward will be provided treatment at concessional rates, with 20 per cent of the beds having been reserved for the poor and needy patients. (editor@dailyworld.in)