Jharkhand Congress demands universal free vaccination policy, writes to President

RANCHI: Congress’s Jharkhand unit on Friday sought President Ram Nath Kovind's intervention in setting up a universal free vaccination policy in the country. State finance minister Rameshwar Oraon and rural development minister Alamgir Alam sought an audience with Jharkhand governor Droupadi Murmi at Raj Bhavan on Friday morning and handed her a memorandum addressed to Kovind in this regard.
On behalf of the party, JPCC president Oraon and legislative party leader Alam criticised the different prices of the Covishield and Covaxin and said the current scheme of things was slowing down the inoculation drive across the country.
“The Union government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has created a digital divide which has slowed down the vaccination drive. Various price slabs were made for the vaccines so that the common people can be robbed off their money during the time of such a disaster," the memorandum alleged.
The ministers accused the Centre of ordering just 39 crore vaccine doses so far for the country's 140 crore population. "At present, India is vaccinating close to 16 lakh people each day. At this pace, it will take three years to vaccinate the entire population and we will not be able to tackle a possible third wave," the ministers wrote.
Oraon and Alam also criticized the Centre for placing delayed orders with the vaccine makers. “While other nations started placing orders in August last year, the Centre placed its first order of vaccines in January this year,” the memorandum read.
Congress also claimed that only 3.17% (4.45 crore) of the country’s population have been given both the doses. “While Covishield is priced at Rs 150 for the Centre, Rs 300 for the states and Rs 600 for private hospitals. Covaxin is charging Rs 150 from the Center, Rs 600 from the states and Rs 1,200 from private hospitals. Each dose is being priced at Rs 1,500 at private hospitals. This disparity in pricing is nothing but a way to maximize the profits,” the party claimed.