Centre says over one crore COVID-19 vaccine doses still available with states
New Delhi: More than 1 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with states and UTs and they will receive over 20 lakh more doses within the next 3 days, the Union Health Ministry said on Thursday.
On media reports quoting some Maharashtra State Government officials that vaccines in the state are "finished" and adversely impacting the vaccination drive, the ministry said a balance of 7,49,960 vaccine doses is still available with the state for administration to eligible population groups.
"It is clarified that the total COVID vaccine doses received by Maharashtra as on April 29 (at 8 am) are 1,63,62,470.
"Of this, the total consumption including wastage (0.22 per cent) was 1,56,12,510. Balance of 7,49,960 vaccine doses is still available with the state for administration to the eligible population groups," the ministry said.
The Government of India has so far provided nearly 16.16 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses to states and UTs free of cost. Of this, the total consumption including wastages is 15,10,77,933 doses, the ministry said.
"More than 1 crore COVID vaccine doses (1,06,08,207) are still available with states and UTs to be administered. More than 20 lakh (20,48,890) vaccine doses will be received in addition by the states and UTs within the next 3 days," the ministry stated.
The Liberalised and Accelerated Phase-3 Strategy of COVID-19 Vaccination will be implemented from 1st May 2021.
Registration for the new eligible population groups has started from Wednesday.Potential beneficiaries can either register directly on CoWIN portal cowin.gov.in or through the Aarogya Setu app.
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SP has ended contract with I-PAC due to fund constraints: Akhilesh Yadav
Lucknow (PTI): Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday said his party has severed its association with the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) due to a lack of funds.
He dismissed speculations that the termination of contract was because of recent election results.
Addressing a press conference here, Yadav said the party had engaged I-PAC for a brief period ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections but could not continue the arrangement.
"Yes, we had an association. They worked with us for a few months, but we are not able to continue because we do not have that kind of funding," he said.
The I-PAC is a political consultancy firm known for managing major election campaigns across the country.
Election strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor has also been associated with the organisation in the past and has worked with multiple parties, including the BJP and the Congress.
In a lighter vein, Yadav took a swipe at the ecosystem of political consultancies. "We thought that if we have to work with a 'winning agency', then there are several big companies."
He said that some people suggested conducting surveys, hiring another firm, keeping a social media company, and even engaging agencies for negative campaigning against other parties.
"There are one or two more companies whose names are not yet known. I can get those for you as well," Yadav said.
Yadav rejected the suggestion that the decision to end the deal was influenced by recent election outcomes in states such as West Bengal.
"There is no such thing. Do not ask questions based on baseless reports. That is not true," he said.
"This is not the reason for ending the agreement. We simply do not have enough funds. If you (the media) give us funds, we can hire another company," the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said.
