Mumbai, Jan 5 : A year before polls to major civic bodies in the state, major political parties in Maharashtra have demanded free Covid-19 vaccination for the poor in the state, here on Tuesday.
State Health Minister Rajesh Tope said that people living below the poverty line can ill-afford the vaccine even if its two doses are priced at Rs 500 or so, and hence the Centre should foot the vaccination cost.
“Poor people, those with co-morbidities and people above 60 years of age should get the vaccine free. We shall raise this demand during our video-conference with the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare on Thursday,” Tope said.
Though there is no clarity yet, the vaccine is likely to be administered free to health workers, security personnel and other frontline workers by the Centre and hence even the poor people should get it free, he urged.
Building up pressure on the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, the opposition BJP also demanded free vaccination for all people in Maharashtra.
BJP legislator and spokesperson Ram Kadam has shot off letters to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Tope seeking free vaccines for all citizens in the state.
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