New Delhi: A day after Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said that more pharma companies should be allowed to manufacture the COVID-19 vaccine in the country during the pandemic to scale up production.
He made a U-turn today, he said, “I was unaware that before my speech Minister for Chemical & Fertilizers Shri @mansukhmandviya had explained government’s efforts to ramp up”
Yesterday while participating at the conference organised by Swadeshi Jagaran Manch, I had made a suggestion to ramp up vaccine production. I was unaware that before my speech Minister for Chemical & Fertilizers Shri @mansukhmandviya had explained government’s efforts to ramp up
— Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) May 19, 2021
…vaccine production.
After conference, he also informed me that, GoI is already facilitating vaccine manufacturing by 12 different plants/companies and rapid ramp up of production is expected in near future as a result of these efforts.
— Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) May 19, 2021
I was unaware that his ministry has started these efforts before I had given suggestion yesterday. I am glad and congratulate he and his team for this timely intervention in the right direction. I feel important to put this on record.
— Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) May 19, 2021
While addressing a meeting via video conferencing Gadkari said, “If the demand of vaccine is more than the supply, it creates the problem. So, instead of one company, let 10 more companies be given the license to manufacture the vaccine.”
“There are 2-3 laboratories in every state. They should be given the formula to produce the COVID-19 vaccines. They can give royalty,” Gadkari said.
“Let them supply in the country and later if there is surplus, they may export. It can be done in 15-20 days,” he added.
#WATCH | If vaccine demand is more than supply it creates problem. Instead of 1, let 10 more companies be given license for vaccine manufacture…Let them supply in country & later if there’s surplus, they may export. It can be done in 15-20 days: Union Min Nitin Gadkari (18.05) pic.twitter.com/gVOqMuVRNr
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2021
Currently, only two firms – Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute of India – are manufacturing COVID vaccines in the country and only three vaccines have so far been approved to be sold in India — COVAXIN, COVESHIELD and Sputnik V.
Many states have complained about the shortage of COVID-19 vaccines.
Reacting to Gadkari’s comment on the shortage of the COVID-19 vaccines, national spokesperson of Congress Jaiveer Shergill said that the whole nation is demanding vaccines, BJP is supplying fake tool kits.
“Mr Gadkari says to solve Vaccine demand-supply issue more manufacturing licenses should be given. The problem is-Nation is demanding vaccines, BJP is supplying fake tool kits. Good to know at least one BJP minister is waking up to reality – how many more have to die to wake up the system,” Shergill tweeted.
