Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that it has been decided that the 25 per cent vaccination that was with states will now be undertaken by the Government of India.
This will be rolled out in two weeks. In two weeks, centre and states will make necessary preparations as per new guidelines.
The Prime Minister further announced, that 21 June onwards, Government of India will provide free vaccine to all Indian citizens above 18 years of age.
Government of India will buy 75 per cent of the total production of the vaccine producers and provide to the states free of cost.
No state government would be spending anything for vaccines. Till now, crores of people got free vaccine, now 18 years segment will be added to this. Government of India will provide free vaccines to all the citizens, reiterated the Prime Minister.
Mr.Modi informed that the system of 25 per cent vaccines being procured directly by the private hospitals will continue. State governments will monitor that only Rs.150 service charge is levied by the private hospitals over the decided price of the vaccines.
In another major announcement, the Prime Minister conveyed the decision of extension Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojna till Deepawali. This means that till November, 80 crore people will continue to get decided amount of free food grain every month. During the pandemic, the government is standing with the poor for all his needs as his friend, said the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister said that globally, vaccine producing companies and countries are far less than what is the global demand for the vaccines. In such a scenario, made in India vaccine was critical for India. The Prime Minister, pointed out that in the past, India used to get vaccines decades after they were developed abroad.
This always resulted in a situation in the past where India could not even start vaccination while other countries used to finish the vaccine work.
This time, said the Prime Minister, India warded off all the apprehensions and, through clean intentions, clear policy and constant hard work, not just one but two made-in-India vaccines for Covid were launched in India. Our scientists proved their caliber. Till today, more than 23 crore vaccine doses have been administered in the country.
The Prime Minister informed that due to great effort and hard work, supply of vaccine is about to increase in coming days. He conveyed that, today, seven companies are producing different type of vaccines. Trials of three more vaccines are in the advanced stage, informed the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister also talked of trials for two vaccines for children and a ‘nasal vaccine’.