Uddhav Thackeray led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has announced free COVID-19 vaccination of citizens of Maharashtra aged between 18 to 40 years. The decision was being deliberated over and had been finalised today’s cabinet meeting.
“Today, the cabinet under the leadership of CM Uddhav Thackeray has decided to provide free COVID-19 vaccination to all the citizens of Maharashtra aged between 18-44 years,” stated the Chief Minister’s Office a statement to the press earlier today.
“After Chattisgarh, Rajasthan and punjab, Maharashtra is the fourth state which announced free vaccination,” said Sachin Sawant, spokesperson for the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee.
“Just because of non-availability of vaccines due to unplanned & careless Modi govt, vaccination for 18-44 age grp will not be able to start till end of May. MVA has made provision of ₹6500cr, has capacity of vaccinating 2 crore ppl/mnth can complete it in 6 months,” he added.
The state of Maharashtra has been the worst hit out of all 29 Indian States, and is one of the 12 most affected in terms of lack of medical oxygen, availability of hospital beds, ventilators and other essential medical supplies. The state has allegedly near exhausted its capacity to produce medical oxygen as compared to its rising numbers and has been borrowing from Gujarat and other states with an excess supply.
On 25th April, Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Aditya Thackeray, who is also the CM’s son, had tweeted the free inoculation of Maharashtra residents but later deleted the tweet later. “I have deleted the earlier tweet as to not cause confusion regarding the official vaccination policy of Maharashtra that would be fully ensuring fast, efficient vaccination and would leave nobody behind,” he wrote.