The central government on Monday told the Supreme Court that the entire eligible population of India will be vaccinated against COVID-19 by the end of this year, reports PTI. 

The court was hearing a suo motu case related to the supply of essential medicines, vaccines and medical oxygen to coronavirus patients.

“Several states are issuing global tenders to procure foreign vaccines for COVID-19 and is this policy of the central government?” the bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud, Justices S Ravindra Bhat and L Nageswara Rao asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta.

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The government is in talks with companies like Pfizer and if it succeeds, then the timeline for completing the vaccination would change, the law officer said.

Since the start of its vaccination drive on January 16 this year, 213,154,129 people have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

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India, the second worst-hit country by COVID-19, is battered by a second wave. It claimed several lives and brought the country’s health sector to a crippling point.