Raipur, 7 June 2021. Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Mr. Bhupesh Baghel has said that Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi’s announcement of free vaccination is a delayed decision. He said that the biggest challenge at present is the continuous supply of vaccine doses by central government.
Chief Minister said that we had made an announcement in the budget session of Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly that every person in Chhattisgarh will be provided free vaccination. Central government had made arrangements for free vaccination of only health workers, frontline workers and those above the age of 45 years, but when it came to the age group of 18 to 44, Central Government left it to the states. At that time as well, the Chief Ministers of all states had demanded free vaccination but their demands remained unheard. Later, the states had to make arrangements for vaccination from their own treasury.
Chief Minister said that the main problem is the timely supply of the vaccine doses. We have received only 9 lakh 38 thousand 530 vaccine doses in Chhattisgarh from May 1 to June 7. This has been the pace of vaccine supply. How can we provide free vaccination with such scanty and irregular supply of vaccine doses? He said that the allegations that are being leveled against the states are completely wrong.
It is worth noting that Chhattisgarh Government’s Health Department has so far ordered 1.5 crore vaccine doses from the manufacturing companies of both Co-vaxin and Covishield, and Rs 47 crore 34 lakhs have been paid so far for 14 lakh 18 thousand 700 dosages (i.e. 11 lakh 66 thousand 630 Covishield doses and 2 lakh Covaxin doses).
Till date 9 lakh 38 thousand 530 doses have been received for the age group of 18-44 year. As many as 1.5 lakh doses of Covaxin were received on 1st May 2021, 3.5 lakh doses of Covishield Vaccine were received on 8 May 2021, 2 lakh 97 thousand 110 doses of Covishield Vaccine were received on 15 May 2021 and 1 lakh 41 thousand 420 doses of Covishield vaccine were received on 5 June 2021. Till June 6, about 8 lakh 31 thousand 281 beneficiaries in the age group of 18-44 years have been vaccinated (with Covaxin and Covishield Vaccine).
