Free anti-COVID vaccine for all, free rations for underprivileged: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today announced free anti-COVID vaccines for all, from June 21. In an address to the nation today, Modi also announced that free rations for the underprivileged will be continued till Diwali.

The free vaccine will be available for all above the age of 18. The Prime Minister also announced that private hospitals will be allocated to private hospitals and they will be allowed to charge only Rs 150 as service charge.

Modi said that the Union Government took the decision, as ‘the states had failed to vaccinate’ the people in the states. It must be mentioned here that many states and some civic bodies had announced global tenders for procurement of vaccines, in the light of the acute shortage of vaccines in the country, but there was no response for these tenders.

The opposition parties in the country have been demanding free vaccines for all from the Union Government. The Congress and other political parties have ben repeatedly questioning the Government about the budgetary provision of Rs 35,000 for vaccination in the country.

Even the Supreme Court questioned the Union Government on its anti-COVID vaccination programme, asked if there was policy in place and also queried about the budgetary provision.