Union minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday said the government has given approval to Bharat Biotech's Ankleshwar-based manufacturing plant to produce COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin.

"Govt of India approves vaccine manufacturing facility for production of @BharatBiotech's #Covaxin in Ankleshwar, Gujarat," Mandaviya tweeted.

The approval would help increase availability of COVID-19 vaccines in the country, he added.

"Following PM @NarendraModi ji's vision of #SabkoVaccineMuftVaccine, this will increase vaccine availability & accelerate the world's largest vaccine drive," the minister who heads both Chemicals and Fertilisers and Health ministries noted.

In May this year, Bharat Biotech had announced that it plans to produce an additional 200 million doses of Covaxin at its subsidiary's Ankleshwar-based facility.

The Hyderabad-based firm had noted that it would utilise the manufacturing plant of its wholly-owned unit - Chiron Behring, to add another 200 million doses of Covaxin.