Mamata Banerjee lashes out as PM Modi centralises India's COVID-19 vaccination drive

Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced free COVID-19 vaccination for all above 18 years of age, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said that it took four months for PM to listen to ir plea and that delayed decision has alrey cost many lives.

" well-being of people of India should've been prioritized since very start of this pandemic. Unfortunately, this delayed decision by PM has alrey cost many lives," she said in a tweet. "Hoping for a better-managed vaccination drive this time that focuses on people and not propaganda," she ded.

Making key announcement on Monday, PM Modi declared scrapping of decentralised policy rolled out by Government on May 1 and said it will now procure 75% of COVID-19 vaccines from manufacturers and subsequently provide se free to States for inoculation. remaining 25% would be available for private players, with a cap on service charge.

Interestingly, Mamata Banerjee h earlier written to Prime Minister urging him to expedite procurement of vaccines and suggested a franchise-based model for vaccine manufacturers. state also mulled floating a global tender but it is presumable that its efforts to procure vaccines were not fruitful.

Govt centralises COVID vaccine drive

During his dress to nation, PM Modi also highlighted changing stance of state governments regarding procurement, and ministration of Coronavirus vaccines. He asserted that many states forced Union Government to reverse centralized vaccination drive, to which Government agreed. However, after learning about complications attached to decentralization process, states began to demand centralized arrangement.

“By second week of May, when COVID-19 cases were at an all-time high and re was a growing demand for vaccination, many state governments backtracked and started accepting that previous arrangement was better. With time, more states - even those who h been first vocates of decentralization process - joined se states and approached Centre for reconsidering entire issue,” PM said.

"25% of vaccination work which h been handed to states will now be handled by Centre, it will be implemented in coming two weeks. Both States and Centre will work as per new guidelines in coming two weeks. From June 21, free vaccines for people above 18 years," PM Modi said.