JOIN USGive IVC on lease, will ensure production of vaccines: Stalin to Modi
Tamil Nadu on Thursday expressed interest in taking on lease the Integrated Vaccines Complex (IVC) on the outskirts of Chennai lying idle for the past nine years with “full operational freedom” to commence production of Covid-19 vaccines through a suitable partner.
Chief Minister M K Stalin wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking to hand over the massive facility built by the Centre in an area of 100 acres on lease and rushed Industries Minister Thangam Thennarasu and DMK Parliamentary Party leader T R Baalu to New Delhi to meet Railway Minister Piyush Goyal.
Built in Chengalpattu in 2012 under the universal immunisation programme, the IVC is a state-of-the-art facility that has the capacity to produce over 585 million vaccine doses a year. The facility, owned by HLL Biotech, is yet to be operationalised and the Centre has called for Expression of Interest (EoI) from vaccine manufacturers to use the facility to produce Covid-19 vaccines.
As the country struggles with a shortage of doses, the new Tamil Nadu government explored possibilities of running the plant through a private player. Stalin visited the facility, 60 km from Chennai, on Tuesday and held a meeting with top officials on the issue.
In the letter to Modi, Stalin stressed that the IVC should function immediately, as it would substantially enhance the nation's vaccine production capacity and cater to the requirements of the country as a whole and Tamil Nadu in particular.
“I wish to propose that the assets of IVC may be handed over to the State Government on lease, without any past liabilities, and with full operational freedom. The State Government will identify a suitable private partner immediately and will make all efforts to commence vaccine production at the earliest,” Stalin told Modi.
He further added that a suitable financial arrangement for the Centre to recover a part of its investment can be subsequently worked out, after the commencement of operations. DMK MPs have been writing to the Centre for the past few years about using the facility.
In New Delhi, Thennarasu said Goyal has promised to get back to the state in a week's time on our request. “The Centre is also looking for a strategic partner. I think they have not yet got any proposals. They will get back to us on our proposal soon,” Thennarasu said.
Baalu said Stalin was very interested in getting the facility operationalised at any cost. “Money is not an issue. We want the plant to be used for producing vaccines as it is the need of the hour,” he added.