This is the only amount out of the Rs 35,000 crore allocated by the Modi government in the budget for the corona vaccination campaign

New Delhi, 31 May 2021 Monday

An information obtained by an RTI activist from Nagpur under the RTI Act revealed that the central government had spent only Rs 4,488.75 crore out of a total budget provision of Rs 35,000 crore for the purchase of vaccines. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaram announced a provision of Rs 35,000 crore for the covid vaccination campaign in the budget presented on February 1.

Activist Mohnish Jabalpure's reply to the RTI found that less than 13 per cent of the budget provision for vaccination had been spent and 87.18 per cent had not been spent yet. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in its reply to Mohinish on May 28, said that the Union Budget had provided Rs 35,000 crore for vaccination in the financial year 2021-22.

HLL Lifecare Limited (Ministry's Procurement Agency) has been allotted Rs 4,488.75 crore for purchase of 21 crore doses of Covid vaccine Covishield from Serum Institute and 7.5 crore doses of Covacin from Bharat Biotech, procurement of Covid-19 vaccine

Speaking to media, Mohnish Jabalpur said that the Center had announced vaccination for the age group of 18-44 years from May 1. Thousands of people like me are eagerly awaiting vaccinations to protect themselves from this deadly disease. Many young people have also died from corona. The Center had repeatedly announced that there was no shortage of doses in India. While the Center has spent only 12.82% of the total budget provisions. Why is the Center not using the remaining amount to provide free vaccines to all.

The government has paid Rs 2,520 crore, Health and Family Welfare said in a statement on May 3. In which the serum institute has to pay Rs. 1,732.50 crore and Bharat Biotech Rs. 787.50 crore were paid. On May 28, the government said it had paid Rs 4,488.75 crore to HLL Lifecare Limited for the purchase of the dose.