From June 21, 2021, the Central Government will provide vaccines to all the states free of cost, announced Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday. He was addressing the nation online at 5 pm on June 7. "Centre has decided to buy a total 75 per cent of vaccine production from vaccine makers, including 25 per cent of the state quota, and give it free to the state governments," PM Modi said.
These vaccines will be used for anyone above the age of 18 years. New guidelines for vaccines will also be provided to the states. The states will be informed how many doses they will receive and when, a few weeks before they actually get it from the Centre.
"Today seven firms in India are in the process of producing different types of vaccines. Trials of three more vaccines are in the advanced stage. The Central Government took into account suggestions from CMs, leaders of various political parties to decide India's COVID-19 vaccination drive," the Prime Minister added.
This does not mean that people will stop getting it from private hospitals. Private hospitals will be given 25 per cent of the total produce. However, the government will cap the prices in the private sector — private hospitals can only increase the vaccine prices by Rs 150 as service charge for a single dose and not more. The state governments will have to keep a check on this, PM Modi announced.
The government also announced free ration under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana will be extended until November, which means that over 80 crore families will get free ration every month.
