TN CM blasts Centre on vaccine policy
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswamy on Tuesday lambasted the union government’s policy on anti-covid vaccines, stressing that the procurement and distribution are the responsibility of the Centre and passing it on to the states is unfair.
In a leter to his Anna DMK party’s solid ally Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Palaniswamy demanded that the Centre should procure and supply the entire required quantity of vaccine for administering all groups including those in the 18-45 age group.
The leter was promptly released to the media too.
“Explore alternative sources of supply of vaccine, including possible imports, to ensure that the vaccine rollout takes place across the country smoothly and expeditiously in the coming weeks,” the chief minister wrote.
Palaniswamy pointed out that the Union Health Ministry’s new policy to be adopted in the Phase-3 of the Covid-19 vaccination throughout the country threatens to throw the whole plan out of gear.
The ministry says states should procure and administer vaccine to the people in the age group of 18 to 45.
The price of the vaccine would be distinctly different from the price that the Centre has been paying. “Some manufacturers have already announced a higher increased rate for procurement by State governments,” he pointed out.
“Such a differential price mechanism is inherently unfair since it places a higher financial burden on States. “It is also iniquitous since state governments have considerably less fiscal resources at their command than the central government.”
A budgetary provision of Rs350 billion has been made in the budget estimates for 2021-22 for the Covid-19 Vaccination programme, states have a legitimate expectation that the Centre would supply the vaccine in Phase-3. Also during the day, the Supreme Court heard sharp criticism of the Centre’s policy on the reopening of the Sterlite plant in Thoothukudi. The court allowed the reopening only for the production of medical oxygen. “There is a national calamity,” Justice DY Chandrahud said, referring to the oxygen crisis.
“We are in a time of a national crisis. We are here to protect lives of citizens. We have to support nation as a court.