Tamil Nadu to float global tenders to procure Covid-19 vaccines
1 min read . Updated: 12 May 2021, 08:20 PM IST
Premium- CM Stalin directed industries and medical departments to immediately set up more units to produce oxygen and procure it from steel plants located in other states
- Apart from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Telangana are the other two states that have decided to go in for global tenders to buy Covid-19 vaccines
The Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday said that it would float global tenders for procurement of Covid-19 vaccines. It added that all steps shall be taken expeditiously to inoculate those between the 18-45 age group.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin directed industries and medical departments to immediately set up more units to produce oxygen and procure it from steel plants located in other states to meet the increasing demand.
Further, the state government said an allocation of about 13 lakh vaccine doses to the state by the Centre is not sufficient to cover all those in the 18-45 age group.
Hence, "the government has decided to go in for global bids to procure vaccines," the CM said.
According to the Tamil Nadu government, the oxygen allocation to Tamil Nadu has been increased to 419 tonnes from 280 MT by the Centre, but the state required more of it, it added.
Therefore, the CM ordered industries and medical departments to immediately set up more units to produce oxygen and also procure it from steel plants through trains from other states. The oxygen received should be properly distributed to hospitals that need it, the CM advised.
Meanwhile, Southern Railways said it has dispatched its first oxygen express from Tamil Nadu -Tiruvallur- today to Odisha. The empty containers are likely to reach Rourkela on 13 May.
Apart from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Telangana are the other two states that have decided to go in for global tenders to buy Covid-19 vaccines.
