Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio. (Morung File Photo)
Kohima, June 8 (MExN): Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has hailed the decision of the Government of India announced by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi on June 7 to provide free vaccine to all Indian citizens above 18 years of age as a ‘decisive and timely step.’
Taking to Twitter after the Prime Minister’s address to the nation on Monday, Rio said he was grateful to Modi for the “decisive & timely step to provide free vaccine to all Indian citizens above 18yrs from June 21, 2021.”
“This will not only add momentum to the nationwide vaccination drive but also greatly ease the burden of the state governments,” he added.
During his address to the nation on Monday, Modi announced that crores of people have got free vaccine so far and from June 21 onwards, the Government of India will provide free vaccine to all Indian citizens above 18 years of age.
No state government would be spending anything for vaccines and the Centre will provide free vaccines to all the citizens, he added, according to the PIB rendering of his speech.
The Prime Minister further announced that it has been decided that the 25 per cent vaccination that was with states will now be undertaken by the Centre and said that it will buy 75 per cent of the total production of the vaccine producers and provide to the states free of cost.
“This will be rolled out in two weeks. In two weeks, centre and states will make necessary preparations as per new guidelines,” he added.
Meanwhile, Modi further informed that the system of 25 per cent vaccines being procured directly by the private hospitals will continue.
“State governments will monitor that only 150 rupees service charge is levied by the private hospitals over the decided price of the vaccines,” he added.