Providing a fillip to country’s capacity to fight the coronavirus pandemic, the central government has asked automobile manufacturers to use their facilities to produce life-saving ventilators and other medical gear, reports Business Standard.

Ministry of Heavy Industries, via a communication, has asked major automobile manufacturers to explore using their manufacturing facilities and manpower to produce ventilators. As per report, communication was issued after a joint meeting of the top four companies — Maruti Suzuki, M&M, Tata Motors and Hyundai.

Additionally, the Ministry of health has already asked the Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), a public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Defence, to manufacture 30,000 ventilators in the next two months in collaboration with local manufacturers.

The BS report also mention one source as saying that joint secretaries in the government are interacting with the manufacturers to learn about the issues they are facing.

The report further states that, Anand Mahindra-led Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) is believed to be in the final stage of discussions with Bangalore-based ventilator exporter Skanray Technologies. While, the Tata group, through Tata Motors, is also in last-minute negotiations with a Mysuru-based manufacturer to enhance ventilator manufacturing.