The Tamil Nadu government has been informed that the Union government will find a partner to operationalise the Integrated Vaccine Complex (IVC) at Chengalpattu, established by HLL Bio-Tech Ltd. However, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Wednesday urged the Union government to ensure against any further delay in the process.
In response to the Tamil Nadu government’s repeated requests and its representatives personally calling on multiple Union Ministers in Delhi last week over the proposal to hand over the facility to the State government, the Stalin-led government has been informed that the Union government intends to bring in a partner on its own to operate the plant.
“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,” Mr. Stalin wrote to Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday.
In his letter (a copy of the communication was circulated to the media), Mr. Stalin assured the Union Minister of “unflinching and wholehearted support” from his government in putting this national asset to its full use. He also recalled his earlier letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this regard.
Stalin urges for more vaccines, swift supply
The TN CM also pointed out that the COVID-19 vaccine supply to Tamil Nadu was almost exhausted and went on to request the Centre to prioritise Tamil Nadu and frontload the June month’s supplies from the first week itself. “This would help us to recommence our vaccination drive and sustain the momentum generated by us in the last fortnight.”
Mr. Stalin also recalled his communications earlier over COVID-19 vaccines, which were not in proportionate to the State’s population and caseload and contended it could be corrected only by a special allocation of 50 lakh doses each under the Government of India channel and Other than Government of India channel.
The CM thanked the Centre for the allocation of 25.84 lakh doses under the former and 16.74 lakh doses under the latter. “Meanwhile, I would also like to point out that this allotment is just commensurate with the broader increase at the national level and our request for a special allotment to correct the earlier lower allocation is still to be addressed.”
Mr. Stalin reiterated the request to the Centre to look into this issue and ensure that Tamil Nadu was allocated vaccines at levels comparable to comparable States.
