Raipur: Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel on Wednesday written to PM Narendra Modi with a five-point request regarding vaccination. He also demanded the allocation of vaccines to states in proportion to their active caseload and population, waiver of taxes on vaccines.
The chief minister in his letter said that in perspective of the Centre’s decision of allowing everyone above 18 years of age to get vaccinated against Covid-19, the state government has decided to arrange free of cost vaccines for its people in addition to the vaccines available by the Government of India.
"In Chhattisgarh, we have the capacity to provide 3 lakh doses of vaccine per day and we want to make such an ideal system of vaccination in the state. So far, only Bharat Biotech has informed us in writing via email that an effort will be made to supply the 2.5 lakh dose co-vaccine we have ordered by the end of July 2021," Baghel said in his letter.
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Baghel also sought information regarding the number of vaccines to be provided monthly to the state by the Centre, the approximate number of vaccines to be provided to the state monthly by the Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech, and the cost of vaccines provided to the Centre and states by SII and Bharat Biotech.
The Chief Minister has also requested to Prime Minister Modi that from May 1, the states should be made aware of the action plan prepared by the Center and the method of its practical implementation to get the vaccine available to all people above the age of 18 years.
Vaccine allocation in states should be done keeping in mind the population and positivity ratio, active patient ratio so that vaccination can be started simultaneously in all the states of the country.
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"Since the Covid vaccine has emerged as a preservative today, all taxes should be removed from it so that it is available at the lowest possible prices. It has also been mentioned that for people over 18 years of age across the country to be given the vaccine, 150-200 million vaccine doses will be required, the vaccine manufacturing capacity of Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute seems to be low, which together The country will not be able to meet the requirements at a quick pace," the CM said.
"So the government should show its willpower on the vaccine and arrange to get these vaccines produced in other companies also so that there is not so much delay in providing the vaccine to the whole country. Vaccination proves to be futile," Baghel added.
The chief minister further wrote that it is expected that the cost of vaccines should be uniform for the Centre as well as states.
