Lok Sabha Question No. 3004 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-08-06
Subject: Utilisation of Public Sector Vaccine Manufacturing Plant
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: V. Kalanidhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3004 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 06 TH  AUGUST, 2021

## UTILISATION OF PUBLIC SECTOR VACCINE MANUFACTURING PLANT

## 3004.    DR. KALANIDHI VEERASWAMY:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is aware that the country is facing shortage of Covid-19 Vaccines, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;

(b) whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  the  Centre's  state-of-the-art  public  sector  vaccine manufacturing plant, Integrated Vaccine Complex (IVC), IN Chengalpattu, near Chennai is lying idle for nine years, if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government is also aware that the  IVC has the  capacity  to  produce  one  billion vaccines annually and it can cater to a large part of the demand of Tamil Nadu as well as the rest of the country, if so, the details thereof; and

(d) the reasons for non utilization of the IVC for production of Covid-19 Vaccines along with the time by which it will be utilized for production of Covid-19 Vaccines?

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY

## ANSWER WELFARE (DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

(a) to  (d)  Government  of  India  has  been  providing  free  supply  of  Covid  vaccines  in  enough quantity  to  States/UTs  for  vaccination  of  prioritized  beneficiaries  as  recommended  by  National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC). Advance visibility of these allocations i.e. the total doses of Covid vaccine that would be available to State/UT, are provided 15 days in advance to all States/UTs so as to enable them to prepare plan for acceleration of Covid vaccination coverage while being cognizant of the availablability Covid vaccines.

Government of India has also taken many steps to augment the domestic manufacturing capacity of  COVID-19  vaccines.  These  include  support  to  M/s  Bharat  Biotech  and  three  Public  Sector

Enterprises (PSEs) under 'Mission COVID Surakshathe Indian COVID-19 Vaccine Development Mission', technology transfer of Covaxin production, financial assistance to one of the  domestic  vaccine  manufacturer  M/s  Biological  E  for  'At-risk  manufacturing',  advance payment  against  the  supply  orders  placed  with  M/s  Serum  Institute  of  India  and  M/s  Bharat Biotech, and streamlining of regulatory norms for approval of vaccines.

HLL Biotech  Ltd.  has  established  an  'Integrated  Vaccine  Complex'  (IVC),  at  Chengalpattu  in Tamil Nadu as a green field project with capacities to 'fill and finish' as well as Bulk Production of Vaccines.

HLL  has  invited  expression  of  interest  from  vaccine/Pharmaceutical  Manufactures  for  use  of HBL's  existing  facilities  at  Integrated  Vaccine  Complex  (IVC),  Chengalpattu.  HLL  is  also  in dialogue with some interested parties for utilizing this IVC facility. Repurposing for production of COVID-19 Vaccine would require certain modifications in the infrastructure like up-gradation of existing biosafety level facilities with certain additional equipments  depending  upon  the technology and vaccine platform taken up for production.

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