Rs 4,500 crore of Rs 35,000 crore spent; activist questions lack of doses & paid jabs

NAGPUR: Information obtained under the RTI Act by city-based activist Mohnish Jabalpure has revealed that the Central government disbursed Rs 4,488.75 crore out of the total budgetary provision of Rs 35,000 crore for procurement of Covid vaccine doses. The activist has questioned shortage of doses and paid inoculation when the government is yet to spend 87.18% of the funds.
A resident of Mahal, Jabalpure had sought information related to payment disbursed to the Serum Institute of India (SII) and Bharat Biotech for procurement of vaccine doses under the RTI Act on rtionline.gov.in on May 27. He received information from the ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW) on May 28.
In its reply, the MoHFW said, “Initially, the government had procured vaccine from SII and Bharat Biotech under the PM Care Fund. 5.6 crore doses of Covishield at the rate of Rs 210 (Rs 200 for vaccine and 5% GST) and 1 crore doses of Covaxin at the rate of Rs 309.75 (Rs 295 for vaccine and 5% GST) were procured. The Union budget had made a provision of Rs 35,000 crore for vaccination in the 2021-22 fiscal. Rs 4,488.75 crore has been released for procurement of the Covid vaccine to HLL Lifecare Limited (Procurement agency for MoHFW) for 21 crore doses of Covishield from SII and 7.5 crore doses of Covaxin from Bharat Biotech at the rate of Rs 157.5 per dose (Rs 150 for vaccine and 5% GST). The process of procurement of Covid-19 vaccine and inoculation is going on.”
Meanwhile, talking to TOI, Jabalpure said, “The Centre had announced vaccination for the 18-44 years age group from May 1. Thousands of people like me are eagerly waiting to take the jab to protect ourselves from the deadly disease. A few youngsters without any comorbidities died. The Centre had time and again announced that there was no shortage of doses in India. At the same time, the Centre spent only 12.82% of the total budgetary provision. Why is the Centre not utilizing the remaining funds and providing vaccine to all.”
People in the age group of 18-44 years are paying around Rs 1,000 per dose and taking the jab at private hospitals in a few districts of the state. “Why is the Centre not utilizing the remaining funds and providing vaccine to all free of cost,” he said.
Presenting the budget on February 1, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced a provision of Rs 35,000 crore for the Covid vaccination programme.
In a statement on May 3, the MoHFW said that the government paid Rs 2,520 crore of which Rs 1,732.50 crore to SII and Rs 787.50 crore to Bharat Biotech for supply of doses in May, June and July. As on May 28, the government had stated that it disbursed Rs 4,488.75 crore to HLL Lifecare Limited for procurement of doses.