Maharashtra will give 18-45 group free vaccination at govt, civic hospitals: NCP

MUMBAI: Cabinet minister Nawab Malik of the NCP on Sunday announced free Covid-19 vaccination for all citizens in the 18-45 age group in government and municipal hospitals across the state. Later in the day, cracks appeared to develop in the MVA government on the issue.
Environment and tourism minister Aaditya Thackeray tweeted: “The official policy of the vaccination will be declared by the empowered committee and we must await its recommendation for a fair policy for all sections of society.”

Earlier in the day, Thackeray had endorsed the statement on free vaccination by Malik, who is also the spokesperson of the NCP.
Free vaccination: State govt may announce its final decision soon
NCP minister Nawab Malik and the public health department on Sunday estimated Rs 4,800 crore would be the bill the state would have to foot if free Covid-19 vaccination is conducted for six crore persons in the 18-45 age group. The government expects to secure a dose for Rs 400.
A final decision on whether the vaccine shots will be free is expected soon.
Earlier in the day, before Shiv Sena minister Aaditya Thackeray had tweeted that the decision on free shots was best left to an empowered committee, Malik had gone ahead and announced free vaccination.
“The NDA government [at the Centre] has taken the responsibility of free vaccination of all citizens above 45,” Malik had said. “We felt that as a responsible state, we should take care of citizens in the age of group of 18 to 45.”
On Saturday, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar had declared in Pune that his government would invite global tenders for the supply of vaccines and the antiviral remdesivir injections and that a committee headed by chief secretary Sitaram Kunte would draft a comprehensive action plan for the procurement. Pawar had taken the view that those who can afford the vaccine should pay for it.
A bureaucrat said Kunte had presided over the first meeting of the high-powered committee and worked out an action plan for the global tenders and provision of free vaccines. The committee may negotiate with leading vaccine manufacturers on prices.
When the cabinet took up the proposal to provide free vaccines to the 18-45 age group, there was a discussion on whether the state should still keep the photograph of PM Narendra Modi on the final vaccination certificate. Malik objected to the photo, saying if the state was bearing the full vaccination cost, it would be apt to replace the PM’s picture with one of CM Uddhav Thackeray.