The next phase of India’s vaccination drive will begin today in which the Centre will provide free Covid vaccines to everyone above 18 years of age. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced on 7th of this month that Centre will buy 75 per cent of the total production of the vaccine producers and provide to the states free of cost. No state government will have to spend anything for vaccines. Mr Modi had informed in his address to the nation that the system of 25 per cent vaccines being procured directly by the private hospitals will continue. State governments will monitor that only 150 rupees service charge is levied by the private hospitals over the decided price of the vaccines.
The move is aimed at strengthening and further ramping up the Covid-19 vaccination drive in the country. An early estimate suggests that the new policy will cost the Centre over 15 thousand crore rupees more than its previously allocated 35 thousand crore rupees for the Vaccination programme in the current financial year. The Centre will also pay the GST of 5 per cent on the vaccines procured. Till now, crores of people got free vaccines. From today, all adults above the age group of 18 in the country will get free vaccination at all government facilities.