West Bengal Govt Approaches Supreme Court Seeking Directions to Disband Centre's Current COVID-19 Vaccination Policy, Says Vaccines Must Be Given to States For Free
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who led her party third time onto power requested the Supreme Court to intervene and asked that this differential pricing policy adopted by the central government should be scrapped. It asked that vaccines should be provided for free distribution. Similar demands where made by other states also.te
New Delhi, May 7: West Bengal government on Friday approached the Supreme Court regarding the present vaccination policy adopted by the Central government. In the plea filed, the Mamata Banerjee-led government said that there should be a uniform policy on vaccination throughout the country against COVID-19 and states should be provided with free vaccines. The Supreme Court will hear the vaccination policy plea and other related matters on Monday. Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath Announces To Provide Free Vaccines to People Aged 18–44 Years in the State.
The West Bengal Chief Minister requested the top court to intervene on this differential pricing issue. Many other states have also raised concern over this when the vaccination was opened for all adults over 18. "The central government must take immediate steps to ensure vaccines are made available and given for free to states for distribution," the Bengal government said in their petition. It said the government must scrap this present policy of differential pricing for the next phase of vaccination. COVID-19 Vaccination for Those Above 18 Years of Age: List of States Offering Free Vaccines Against Coronavirus.
As per the current vaccination policy, COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers will provide 50 percent of doses to states and private hospitals and rest to the Centre at cheaper rates. Serum Institute of India announced a price of Rs 400 rupees per dose for states and Rs 600 for private hospitals. Meanwhile, Bharat Biotech will charge Rs 600 from states and Rs 1,200 from private hospitals.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 07, 2021 06:49 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).