In a people friendly decision Tripura government has decided to spend a total of Rs 133. 19 crores for providing free vaccine to all people above the age of eighteen and up to forty five from 1st May.
As per a decision announced already by the Centre all people above the age of forty five have been receiving free corona jabs since the beginning of the process. A final decision in this regard was taken by the state cabinet in an urgent meeting held yesterday.
Announcing this decision the minister for education and cabinet spokesperson Ratan Lal Nath said that the Serum Institute of India (SII) make of Covishield vaccine , is all set to start selling the vaccine to Centre at the rate of Rs 150.00 per vial and at the rate of Rs 400.00 per vial.
We are ready to provide financial relief to the people at this time of crisis and we have calculated that according to voter list of the election commission people within the range of 18-44 in the state number 16 lakhs and we will have to procure altogether 32 lakhs initially on account of possible wastage 2% more doses will be needed and purchase of the vaccination will entail an expense of Rs 130.56 crores while acquisition of syringe will require an additional expense of Rs 1.63 crores and miscellaneous expenses will be Rs 1 more crore and the total expense will go up to Rs 133.19 crores, later he added.
He said that the cabinet has given approval to the finance department to incur the expense. The mass vaccination programme will commence from 1st May 2021 as announced earlier. He claimed that Tripura now tops the country in the matter of vaccination as 24% of people have already received the jabs and the programme will continue as before.