BENGALURU/KOLAR: Bharat Biotech, manufacturer of Covaxin, will set up a vaccine manufacturing unit at Malur Industrial Area in Kolar district, Deputy Chief Minister Dr CN Ashwath Narayan, who also leads the State Covid Task Force, said on Friday.
The construction work has already begun and the plant is expected to commence operations soon, he told reporters. "The State Government has approved the project. Malur was selected because it is close to Bengaluru and has good railway connectivity," he added.
The State Government will extend support to any pharmaceutical company that comes forward to set up vaccine-manufacturing units in the State, he said. He told The New Indian Express that Bharat Biotech already has a unit in Malur where it produces other drugs and vaccines. The new unit will manufacture Covaxin and the initiative is also supported by the Union Government.
As per NITI Ayog estimates, 40 crore doses of the vaccine will be manufactured in the country by August and as of now, 19 crore doses have come out of the production line. "The manufacturing unit in Malur will help the country fight COVID better," he said.
Kolar Deputy Commissioner Dr Selvamani said the district administration will extend all support to the unit.
Malur MLA KY Nanje Gowda said residents of Malur will be happy if the vaccination unit is set up in the industrial area as it will also help generate employment to the local youth. Health Commissioner Dr KV Thrilok Chandra commented that it will be a boon not just for the district, but for the entire state.
100-bed hospitals in every constituency
Deputy Chief Minister Dr CN Ashwath Narayan said that with experts warning of a COVID third wave, the government is planning to set up 100-bed hospitals with oxygen and ICU facilities at every Assembly constituency in the State.