Chennai, May 19 (IANS): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Wednesday told industrialists that they can pay directly to the vendors from whom state government organisations source Covid-19 related items.

Addressing industrialists here Stalin also requested them to prioritise their corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities on sourcing items like oxygen concentrators/generators/flowmeters, cryogenic oxygen tanks and oxygen cylinders.

Stalin said permission to produce 15 tonnes of oxygen has been given to three organisations and 7,500 oxygen concentrators have been sourced by State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu Ltd (SIPCOT) and other industries.

According to him, SIPCOT has brought 500 oxygen cylinders from Singapore by air and another 1,650 cylinders are being brought by sea from there.

Stalin said the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) are jointly setting up 142 mini-oxygen production centres and the state government is giving priority to this activity.

He also said 13 mini oxygen units are being set up through various industries.

Pointing out the state government's policy decision to spend the funds mobilised under the Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund for Covid-19 mitigation alone, Stalin requested industrialists to contribute generously to the fund.

Meanwhile, city based industrial conglomerate Murugappa Group said it has contributed Rs 6 crore to the Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund.