Queency Jain –
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced free vaccines for all those who are above the age of 18 years from 21 June after the criticism by the Supreme Court.
The reversed policy came after the Supreme Court questioned the Central government for a dual pricing policy of vaccines where the price of vaccines was different for the Centre and State.
In an address to the nation, Modi announced that no State will now have to spend money on the vaccines and it will be a complete obligation of the Central government to provide vaccines to the State.
He further added that 75% of the vaccines will be procured by the Centre while the left out 25% will be available for private hospitals.
The State will be under obligation to monitor that no private hospital charges more than Rs.150 a dose, as a service tax, over a fixed price of the vaccines.
Modi also urged the people to follow Covid-19 protocols and not misuse the relaxations provided by the governments as the appropriate protocol is the only effective weapon against the virus.
The reversed policy comes after the Apex Court criticized the government’s previous vaccination policy and termed it “Prima facie arbitrary and irrational.”
The new policy will now have uniformity in prices of the doses and equitable allocation of vaccines to the States.