Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, has again written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the Centre is being unfair to States, asking them to pay for COVID vaccines. He also said that the current price of ₹400 is also not a fair price.
Addressing the media here on Saturday, he said that Kerala had reiterated its stand that Centre should supply vaccines free of cost to State governments, while fixing a fair price for the open market.
He pointed out that Reuters had reported that the price of ₹600 (7.95 $) being charged by Serum Institute of India for open market, was quite a high rate at the international market and that nations like Bangladesh was directly purchasing the vaccine at 4 $ ( ₹300) and giving it free of cost to its citizens.
He said that the vaccine supply position in the State continued to be grim and that even if registrations were being opened up for those above 18 years on May 1, the State will be able to vaccinate people only according to the availability of vaccines. The vaccination of senior citizens had not been completed and that has to be a priority, he said.
