HYDERABAD: The TRS government, which has been maintaining issue-based friendly ties with the BJP government is unhappy with its vaccine policy and has squarely blamed the Centre for the vaccination process slowing down in the state.
Top sources in the chief minister’s office said the latest guidelines on vaccine supply by the Centre make it even more difficult for states to combat Covid-19.
The entire production is being closely monitored by government of India, which is taking 85% of production.
In the remaining 15%, various state governments have to compete with other states and private hospitals, who buy at three times the rate.
During an “AskKTR” session on Twitter, TRS working president and municipal administration minister KT Rama Rao on Sunday said the Union government’s failure in vaccine administration and procurement was apparent.
The remark only reflected the mood in the CMO and TRS government against the Centre’s vaccine policy, said a senior TRS leader.
“The central government seems to have no sense of urgency or a clear strategy in spite of knowing fully well that vaccination is the only way out of this pandemic,” said KTR, replying to a Twitter used Srinivas Velumuri during an interactive session.
KTR said he himself was yet to take a dose of vaccine.
Responding to questions on central government funds allocation for vaccination, KTR said, “The government of India had announced ₹35,000 crore allocations in the Union Budget for vaccination.
Assuming we cover 100% population, we need 272 crore doses at Rs 150 per dose.
Don’t know where that allocation has gone now.” When a netizen asked, ‘Where is my vaccine?’, Minister KTR said, “Ask the government of India that bungled up and created this situation where states are pitted against one another and against the private sector.
They didn’t place orders when they had to and even now don’t want to call for a single tender for the entire country.” Responding to a query on when the entire population of Telangana will get vaccinated, minister KTR said, “We have the ability to vaccinate more than 10 lakh people a day but unfortunately constraints on vaccine supplies are hampering brisk progress.”