The Union government has informed Tamil Nadu that it intends to bring in a partner on its own to operationalise Integrated Vaccine Complex (IVC) at Chengalpattu. It was revealed in a letter written by chief minister MK Stalin to union health minister Harsh Vardhan.
Stalin had previously written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking for the IVC which was established by HLL Bio-Tech Ltd in 2012 under the union health ministry to be handed over to the state on a lease so it can find a private operator and begin producing Covid-19 vaccines from the facility. The state government also sent two representatives to Delhi to speed up the matter.
“Subsequently, it has been informed to us that the union government intends to bring in a partner on its own to operate the plant,” Stalin said in his letter. “While I would like to reiterate our earlier request, I wish to highlight to you the urgency of the moment, given the need for immediate commencement of production. Irrespective of whether it is the union government or the state government which is to find the partner to operationalise the plant, the need of the hour is to ensure that there is absolutely no further delay in the process.”
The letter dated June 1 was released on June 2. The chief minister, in the letter, also raised the issue of vaccine shortage as the state’s stocks were over by June 1 and inoculation was to be suspended but the Centre delivered fresh stocks of 4.2 lakh doses by Wednesday evening. Stalin requested the union government to prioritise Tamil Nadu and frontload the June’s supplies from the first week itself.
{{/usCountry}}The letter dated June 1 was released on June 2. The chief minister, in the letter, also raised the issue of vaccine shortage as the state’s stocks were over by June 1 and inoculation was to be suspended but the Centre delivered fresh stocks of 4.2 lakh doses by Wednesday evening. Stalin requested the union government to prioritise Tamil Nadu and frontload the June’s supplies from the first week itself.
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