PM: Free vaccination for all

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said 75 per cent of total vaccines in the country will be procured by the Centre directly and distributed free of cost to states. He also said that states will no longer be involved in the procurement of vaccines. The Prime Minister also reiterated that private sector will continue to have access of 25 percent of total vaccines manufactured in the country. His address comes on a day India reported 1,00,636 fresh COVID-19 cases, the lowest in 61 days. The Centre's decision came after more and more states had been asking the Centre to step in after having drawn a blank in global tenders to purchase vaccines. On May 1, the Centre had expanded vaccine coverage to the 18-44 age group, opened the market, introduced differential pricing and public-private split in supplies.