Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in two big announcements on Monday during his address to the nation, said that all those above 18 years of age will get free vaccines from the Centre. In the second important decision, the Centre took control of the entire vaccine buying and distribution process from states, blaming them for the earlier decentralisation decision.

“Centre will provide free vaccines for all those above 18 years of age from the World Yoga Day (June 21)… private hospitals can continue to procure 25% of vaccines, but their service charge capped at Rs 150 per dose over fixed price of vaccine,” PM Modi said in his 32-minute address.

Vaccination policy

Speaking in detail about the shift in vaccine procurement policy, the PM sought to put the blame on states saying that the earlier decision to decentralise the process was taken following demands from states. 

“The Centre is taking back total control of vaccination now, this will be implemented in next two weeks… the Centre will provide free vaccines to states,” PM Modi announced in an address to the nation. It was the states that wanted decentralization and that is why they were given 25 per cent responsibility, he added.

As expected, the PM addressed concerns over India’s vaccine policy saying that his government started preparation well in time in April last year by setting up a vaccine task force. “Even as the vaccines were being developed, the government had started finalising logistics and other arrangements to launch the mega vaccination drive,” the PM said.

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Free ration

Extending the free ration scheme till Diwali this year, PM Modi said, “The government has decided to extend Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana till Diwali. Over 80 crore poor will be provided free ration, under the scheme,” the PM added.

The free ration scheme was first announced in April last year, during the first COVID wave and subsequently extended a couple of times.

‘Worst pandemic in a century’

The PM added that India had suffered a lot in this second wave of the COVID-19, the worst pandemic in the past 100 years. “This is the deadliest pandemic in the past 100 years. The modern world has not seen such a pandemic. Our country has suffered, fought this pandemic at many levels,” PM Modi said.

The address comes at a time when India is finally seeing a respite from the deadly COVID-19 pandemic with Sunday’s daily numbers falling to 100, 636, lowest in two months. Many states are emerging from strict lockdowns with capital Delhi, one of the worst-hit states, kicking off a five-phase unlock.

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India is going for a massive vaccine push amid concerns of a the likely third wave of COVID but states have expressed their inability to keep up the momentum citing shortages of the vaccine.