Government must provide Covid-19 vaccine directly: Tamil Nadu CM EPS writes to PM Modi

Terming the differential price mechanism of Covid-19 vaccines as unfair, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting the central government to procure and supply the entire required quantity of vaccines for administering all groups including those aged between 18 – 45.

The TN Chief Minister’s letter reads, “States have been given the responsibility to procure and administer vaccine to the people in the age group of 18 – 45. This vaccine would be procured by the state governments at pre-determined prices from the manufacturers. This price would be distinctly different from the price that the government of India has been paying for the vaccines supply. Some manufacturers have already announced a higher increased rate for procurement by state governments.” 

Adding that the differential price mechanism is inherently unfair and places a higher financial burden on states, the letter states, “It is also iniquitous since the state governments have considerably less fiscal resources at their command than the central government. Further, since the budgetary provision of ₹35,000 crore has been made in the Budget Estimates for 2021-22 for the COVID-19 vaccination programme, States have a legitimate expectation that the Government of India would supply the COVID-19 vaccine Phase 3.”

“In these circumstances, I request the government of India to kindly procure and supply the entire required quantity of vaccines for administering all groups including those in the age group of 18 – 45.” CM EPS concludes. The Union government on April 19 liberalised the vaccination drive to allow states, private hospitals and industrial establishments to procure the Covid-19 vaccine doses directly from manufacturers.