She said world players could also be encouraged to open up franchise operations in India.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee today yet again wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over inadequate supply of vaccines and stated that her government is ready to provide land and all the required support for manufacturing Covid vaccines.
“We, in West Bengal, are ready to provide land and support for any manufacturing/franchisee operation for authentic vaccine manufacturing,” she wrote. In her letter, Miss Banerjee said the vaccine is the real antidote to the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic.
“The production of vaccines in the country is extremely inadequate and insignificant in the context of the massive needs of the people at large. About 10 crore people in West Bengal and 140 crore people in the country need vaccination, here and now, but only a microscopic percentage has been covered,” said Miss Banerjee.
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She said that globally there are many manufacturers and urged Mr Modi to identify reputed and authentic manufacturers with the help of scientists and experts.“It is possible for us in this country to speedily import vaccines from those ends across the different parts of the world,” she added. “Liberal, proactive and discerning import of vaccination is the paramount need today,” the chief minister added.
She said world players could also be encouraged to open up franchise operations in India. “I urge you to embark upon this endeavour without any further delay,” Miss Banerjee wrote. Over the last few days, Miss Banerjee wrote to Mr Modi requesting free vaccination for all, adequate supply of vaccines, oxygen and essential drugs like Remdesivir and Tocilizumab and to exempt Covidrelated life-saving drugs and equipment from GST and customs duty to eliminate supply constraints.
She had also slammed the Centre over Covid management and had said, “I haven’t got any reply till now from Mr Modi over the issue of free vaccination. Why are they not allotting Rs 30,000 crores for vaccines when they are making new Parliament and statues, spending Rs 20,000 crores?”
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