Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has called for increasing the number of companies producing Covid vaccines in India.
A day after Nitin Gadkari suggested that it was important to ramp vaccine production to meet the demand in India, the Union Minister on Wednesday clarified that his government has already taken a number of steps in that direction.
"If vaccine demand is more than supply, it creates problem. Instead of 1, let 10 more companies be given license to manufacture vaccine....Let them supply in the country and later if there is surplus, they may export," Gadkari was heard saying in a video released by news agency ANI.
"There are two or three laboratories in every state. Let them make it, not as a service, but with 10 per cent royalty… It can be done in 15-20 days," he added.
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In a series of tweets today, the Union Road Transport minister said that he was 'unaware' of the steps taken by the concerned ministry.
"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 vaccine production," Gadkari said.
"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. 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," he added.
Congress takes a dig
Congress leader and former Union minister Jairam Ramesh took a dig at the Centre highlighting Gadkari's statement.
Ramesh took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and tweeted, "But is his Boss listening? This is what Dr. Manmohan Singh had suggested on April 18th."
Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill said, "Nitin Gadkari says to solve vaccine demand supply issue more manufacturing licenses should be given. Problem is, nation is demanding vaccines, but BJP is supplying fake tool kits."
Taking a pot-shot at the government, Shergill said, "Vaccine demand supply imbalance is a BJP-created disaster, is BJP waiting for a "shubh muharat" to ramp up vaccination manufacturing?"
