Covaxin Production To Be Doubled By May-June, 10 Cr Doses Per Month By September: Centre

The Ministry of Science and Technology in an official release said Mission COVID Suraksha was announced by the government under Atmanirbhar Bharat 3.0 to accelerate the development and production of indigenous Covid vaccines, adding this is being implemented by Department of Biotechnology.

(Representative Image/AFP)

New Delhi: The government on Friday said the current production capacity of indigenously developed Covaxin vaccine will be doubled by May-June and then increased nearly six to seven fold by July - August, adding it is expected to reach nearly 10 crore doses per month by September.

The Ministry of Science and Technology in an official release said Mission COVID Suraksha was announced by the government under Atmanirbhar Bharat 3.0 to accelerate the development and production of indigenous Covid vaccines, adding this is being implemented by Department of Biotechnology.

Under the initiative, Department of Biotechnology is providing financial support as Grant to vaccine manufacturing facilities for enhanced production capacities.

The release further said the inter-ministerial teams had few weeks back visited the sites of two main vaccine manufacturers in India to get their inputs on how production can be ramped up, adding there have been extensive reviews and feasibility studies in this period  on the plans being discussed with vaccine manufacturers.

As a part this augmentation plan, the capacities of Bharat Biotech Limited, Hyderabad, as well as other public sector manufactures are being upgraded with required infrastructure and technology. Financial support is being provided as grant from the Centre to the tune of approximately Rs 65 crore to Bharat Biotech’s new Bangalore facility, which is being repurposed to increase the capacity of vaccine production.

Besides, three public sectors companies, including Mumbai’s Haffkine Biopharmaceutical Corporation Ltd, and Hyderabad’s Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL), are also being supported to increase the capacity of vaccine production.