PM made it clear, vaccination is free for all: Devendra Fadnavis

A beneficiary receives a shot at Nair Hospital. Pic/Ashish Raje

Amid prevailing confusion in the state with ministers giving different statements about vaccination, opposition leader Devendra Fadnavis insisted that the Centre has made provision to inoculate all eligible beneficiaries for free of cost.

Devendra Fadnavis, BJP leader

State minister and NCP chief spokesperson Nawab Malik on Sunday said the government has decided that the vaccination of the 18-45 age group, which starts on May 1, will be free. He said the state government would buy required doses from the national and international markets. Environment minister and chief minister's son Aaditya Thackeray endorsed his statement, and then retracted it later saying that the state's vaccination policy wasn't decided yet.

Fadnavis, after inaugurating a COVID centre in Mumbai on Monday, said, "The Maha Vikas Aghadi is completely confused on the vaccination drive. The ministers are discussing with the media what they should be talking about in the cabinet meeting. They are engaged in one-upmanship by making all kinds of statements."

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it clear on Sunday itself that all the citizens in the country will get free vaccination. At the same time, if some states want this process to be accelerated, they have been given liberty to purchase directly from the companies," he said.

Congress minister Balasaheb Thorat also said that ministers should not try to seek credit by making statements on vaccination when the matter was still being discussed. "As far as the Congress is concerned, our only demand is free vaccination for all. Our party president Sonia Gandhi has made it very clear," he added.

According to Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, a committee under chief secretary has been asked to decide on the purchase of vaccines and policy for the state. He had on Saturday said that the state was considering charging the people who can afford it.

The former CM also dismissed the MVA leaders' allegations of short supply of medicines and oxygen from the Centre. "Those having a habit of blaming the government of India every day should try to behave sensibly at least during a pandemic. Maharashtra has received the highest quantity of 4.35 lakh remdesivir and 1,750 metric tonne of oxygen - which is double than what any other state got. Over 1,100 additional ventilators have been allotted to Maharashtra," he said.

Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said the state hadn't been receiving 1,750 MT oxygen daily as claimed by Fadnavis. "The MVA government had envisaged the need of 25,000 MT oxygen for 15 days, from April 16 to April 30. Out of which, 17,500 MT was Maharashtra's capacity. The central government was to give 7,500 MT (500 MT/day). But we are getting 345 MT/day. Logistic is a problem for the rest of the supply," he said.