New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Monday that the Union Government would provide vaccines free of charge to all above the age group of 18 years from June 21. The Government would roll back control of vaccination from States, reversing a policy change that was enforced just about a month ago.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to the Nation on Monday said that the Centre is taking back total control of vaccination now. It will take over the 25% doses assigned to States and this will be implemented in the next two weeks.

From June 21, the Centre will provide free vaccines to States, in which he parried criticism of his Government’s policy and a slow rollout that has covered less than five per cent of the population.

PM also said that everyone will get free vaccines without the discrimination of their social status the poor or the lower middle class or the middle class or the upper middle class, under the Central Government programme.

The Centre will buy 75% of the vaccines produced by companies, including 25% assigned to states. Private hospitals will continue to buy the remaining 25% and inoculate those willing to pay for their jabs.

They can’t, however, charge more than ₹ 150 as service charge per dose over the fixed price of the vaccine, Modi said. 75% of vaccination will be free and under the Centre, 25% will be paid and by private hospitals, he said.

Prime Minister Modi sought to point out that the vaccine drive was decentralized because states had complained about disparities. Many states demanded vaccinations to be decentralized. Some voices even questioned prioritizing certain age groups, including the elderly, he said.

India’s fight against the second wave of the Covid – 19 was on. Against an unseen, shape shifting enemy, our biggest weapon is maintaining Covid – 19 protocols like masks and Social distancing. Vaccines are our shield, he said.

Seven companies are producing various vaccines against the Covid – 19 and the trial of three more vaccines is at an advanced stage, the Prime Minister explained, in his speech he addressed that India may fall short of doses for its goal of vaccinating all by the year-end.

He pointed out that earlier, India would take decades to get vaccines from abroad. The pace at which it was going, it would take 40 years for 100% coverage. The process of buying vaccines from companies of other countries had also been fast tracked.