Uddhav Thackeray welcomes PM Modi's vaccine centralisation policy amid COVID-19

Maharastra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, on Tuesday, June 8, contentedly received the Centre's decision to supply free COVID-19 vaccines for people aged 18-44 years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on vaccine centralisation and free vaccines to people aged above 18 years as several states including Delhi and Maharashtra began to unlock on Monday. 

Maharastra government to allocate vaccination doses for all 

CM Uddhav Thackeray added that the people choose to pay and obtain the vaccine jabs like an LPG cylinder subsidy. It's the Centre's responsibility of vaccinating people within the age group of 18-44, and the Maharastra government had made preparations and allocated money for the same. 

Uddhav Thackery said, "We had also started it but the supply was inadequate. Yesterday, PM Modi again gave the responsibility to the Centre. We are thankful to him and hope that all obstacles will be cleared and all citizens will be vaccinated at the earliest.'' The six crore population within the age group of 18-44 of Maharastra would require 12 crore doses allocation. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to the Nation on June 7 announced a 100% Centralised Vaccination drive against the COVID-19 pandemic, which will be implemented within two weeks. Making the key announcement, PM Modi announced the scrapping of decentralised policy rolled out on May 1, adding that the Centre will account for procurement of 75% of COVID-19 vaccines from the manufacturers and subsequently provide these free to the States for inoculation. The remaining 25% would be available for private players, with a cap on the service charge.

The hype talk: Uddhav Thackeray's meet with PM Modi

Earlier Tuesday, the Maharashtra Chief Minister met PM Modi and raised the subject of Maratha quota, invalidated by the Supreme Court recently. Following the face-time meet, former CM and current Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis has called it a premature act. He further added that the Maharashtra government did not take enough efforts to present a strong case in the Supreme Court due to which the Maratha Reservation was struck down by the Apex Court. 

Maharastra CM clarified that the meet was strictly non-political but the bond with Pm Modi isn't broken. 

COVID-19 vaccine distribution in Maharashtra

In Maharashtra, a total of 2,64,376 doses of COVID vaccine is administered across 4,088 vaccination sites. In early May, the state government had suspended the COVID vaccination drive for the 18- 44 age group due to a shortage of vaccines. CM Thakery had expressed confidence over getting adequate vaccine doses from June. The state is well equipped to control the third wave of Coronavirus infection, unlike the second wave where it witnessed oxygen cylinder shortage. 

(Input source: PTI)

(Image credits: API/PTI)