JMM accuses Centre of encouraging black marketing of Covid vaccines

Ranchi: The ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha on Tuesday accused the Centre of encouraging the black marketing of the Covid vaccines.

Addressing a virtual press conference party spokesperson and central general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya said that despite a medical emergency prevailing in the state the centre was behaving in an irresponsible manner over the issue of the vaccine. He said that the centre was buying the vaccine at Rs 15 but the state governments were being asked to buy the same at Rs 400 or Rs 600 which shows the black marketing of injections was being systematically encouraged.

He said that amid the pandemic there was lack of resources before the government therefore Chief Minister Hemant Soren has written a letter to the Prime Minister. He said that for the vaccination of the people in the age group 18 plus category an expenditure of Rs 1100 crore is required while for the third wave for vaccination of the children another Rs 2100 crore will be needed and all of them will be a burden on the state government. He said that since for the last one and half years GST compensation has not been released for Jharkhand therefore Centre should come forward for the help of the state.

Attacking the centre he said that when budgetary allocation of Rs 35,000 crore was made for the vaccines then why are the states being pressurised to buy the vaccines. He said that if that money would have been used 16 crore people would have got free of cost vaccines in the country.

He accused the centre of being negligent over the vaccination of 18 plus category.  Bhattacharya claimed that anarchy will prevail if vaccines will not be given to the youths and on the other hand if they keep on losing their jobs for which ultimately the state governments will be blamed.