CHENNAI: Leaving no stone unturned to increase the availability of COVID-19 vaccines for Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hand over the Integrated Vaccine Complex of the Centre located at Thirukazhukundram in Chengalpattu district to the state government on lease so that vaccine production can be started here at the earliest.
The Chief Minister, in his letter to the Prime Minister, said the assets of this vaccine complex could 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. A suitable financial arrangement for the central government to recover a part of its investment can be subsequently worked out after the commencement of operations," Stalin added.
Pointing out that mass vaccination is the most potent weapon available now to fight COVID-19, the Chief Minister said commencing vaccine production at this complex would substantially enhance the nation's capacity and cater to the requirements of the country as a whole and Tamil Nadu in particular. "Hence it is absolutely necessary that we must ramp up the domestic vaccine manufacturing capacity in accordance with the Prime Minister's vision of self-sufficient India,” he added.
The Chief Minister further said the high capacity vaccine manufacturing facility at Chengalpattu under the Union Ministry of Health is lying unutilised. The Centre has already invested around Rs 700 crore in this manufacturing facility which is almost complete but has not been used for want of additional funds. The recent attempt to find a private partner to run this vaccine complex has also not borne fruit as there were no bidders for it, he recalled.
A few days ago, the Chief Minister inspected the vaccine complex in Chengalpattu district and held detailed discussions with officials there. Meanwhile, Industries Minister Thangam Thennarasu is meeting Union Minister Piyush Goyal in New Delhi seeking that the vaccine complex be handed over to the Tamil Nadu government.