The center will provide 500 million people. Will give free grain until

New Delhi, Dt

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday evening addressed the nation on the issue of corona vaccination at a time when the second wave of corona epidemics is now receding. The Prime Minister also announced to provide free rations to 200 million people in the country by Diwali, i.e. November 2021, to provide relief to the poor affected by the second wave of the Koro epidemic. Under the Centre's PMGKAY scheme, five kg of foodgrains are given free to the poor every month. In addition, the Prime Minister had announced that the Central Government would provide free vaccinations to all people over the age of 18 across the country from Yoga Day i.e. June 21. The Prime Minister said that he had been given the facility to buy 5 per cent of the vaccines directly from the manufacturers following the demand of the states, but now the central government would provide the vaccines to the states free of cost while the private sector would provide the vaccines.

Addressing the nation, Prime Minister Modi said that when the lockdown was imposed last year due to corona, more than 200 million people were given free foodgrains for eight months under the Prime Minister's Poor Welfare Food Scheme. Due to the second wave of Corona, the scheme will be extended till Diwali i.e. November 2021. Under PMGKAY, the central government had given free rations to 4.5 crore people per month in May and June, with Rs. There was a burden of Rs 4.5.5 crore.

Meanwhile, on the issue of vaccination, Prime Minister Modi said that no state in the country has to spend on vaccination anymore. Until now, frontline workers and people above the age of 5 years were given free vaccines by the central government in the country. Now all people over the age of 18 will also be included. At present, 80 per cent of the work in the vaccination campaign was in the hands of the central government, 3 per cent in the hands of the state government and 5 per cent in the hands of the private sector. Now the central government will do 8% of the vaccination work and the private sector will do the remaining 5%. Private hospitals charge a maximum of Rs. 150 will be able to take service charge. It is up to the states to monitor it.

The central government has changed the vaccination policy and centralized the vaccination campaign after the Supreme Court submitted to the court all the relevant documents and files showing their views on the vaccination policy and the states blamed the Center for the alleged shortage of vaccines. Judge D.Y. Chandrachud raised questions on the issue of vaccine purchase policy and compulsory registration policy on the Covin app for vaccines.

The Prime Minister blamed the opposition for the controversy over the vaccine policy as well as the chaos during the vaccination campaign in the country. Replying to questions from the Opposition, the Prime Minister said that vaccination work in the country was started from January 15 as per the guidelines of the World Health Organization. The central government started vaccination in different phases after meeting with state governments, MPs. If the frontline workers had not been vaccinated before the second wave of Corona, a big problem would have arisen. With the Corona case declining before the second wave in the country, questions began to arise as to why everything is decided by the Center. States are given the right to impose lockdowns. He was given this right by accepting the demands of the states.

The central government carried out vaccinations in the country from January 15 to April. The age limit in vaccination, raised questions about vaccinating the elderly first. Under pressure from the states, 3% of the work was handed over to the states from May 1. The states then came to realize the status of vaccination in the world. Meanwhile, after the second wave of Corona, the state governments changed their minds again. So now the entire work of vaccination is being handled by the central government.

The Prime Minister in his address said that no one should pay attention to any rumors on the issue of Corona vaccine and everyone should be vaccinated. The most effective weapon against corona is the corona protocol and the vaccine protection shield. The situation would have been somewhat different if India had not had its own vaccine. In 2012, vaccination coverage was only 20%. If the country had been vaccinated so fast, it would have taken 20 years. We increased the speed of vaccination and also increased the scope of work. India has developed two vaccines against Corona in a single year and has so far given 20 million doses of the vaccine. He added that the supply of vaccines is expected to grow rapidly in the coming days. Seven companies are producing the vaccine in the country, three trials are in trial phase. The process of purchasing vaccines from other countries has also been expedited. Two trials of vaccines for children are also running fast. Research is also underway in the country on nasal vaccination.