UP govt issues licences to 48 companies to make 50,000 litres of sanitisers per day

Forty-eight companies have been issued licences by the Uttar Pradesh government to produce 50,000 litres of sanitiser per day, officials said on Wednesday.

The move comes in the wake of a spike in demand of sanitisers, an alcohol-based disinfectant, due to the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has claimed 35 lives and infected 1,397 people in the country.

"The total sanitiser licenses issued in the state is 48 and production ramped up to 50,000 litres per day," Additional Chief Secretary, Information, Awanish Awasthi, told reporters.

To deal with this increased demand, the government has issued licences to distilleries and sanitiser-manufacturing companies to increase production, he said.

These companies are currently producing 50,000 litres of sanitisers per day and it will be increased to 60,000 litres soon, he said.

Chief medical officers who are placing requests are being provided promptly.

There will be no shortage of sanitisers in the state and if required, production can be further increased, the official said.