Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of providing free inoculation to all adults will entail total spending of anywhere between Rs 45,000 crore and Rs 50,000 crore. This is higher than Rs 35,000 crore that the government had budgeted.Extending 5 kg of wheat or rice and 1 kg of pulses every month to nearly 80 crore beneficiaries till November will cost between Rs 1.1 lakh crore to Rs 1.3 lakh crore.

The private sector players had a higher growth trajectory in FY2019 and FY2020; and have gained market share from the PSU players. The private sector reported a 8% Y-o-Y increase in GDPI at Rs. 1.1 trillion in FY2021. Private sector players were able to adapt to the changing business dynamics in CY2020 at a faster pace compared to the PSU players. Private sector with a relative better risk framework was able to increase the market share in fire segment, and health segment. In addition, the private sector also has a higher share in crop insurance underwritten in FY2021.

”The private hospitals may charge up to a maximum of Rupees 150 per dose as service charges. State governments may monitor the price being so charged,” the ministry said.

The ministry also requested states and union territories to regularly monitor the prices being charged by the private CVCs from the citizens.

The change in the government’s vaccine strategy comes days after the Supreme Court asked the Centre to place on record all relevant documents and file notings reflecting its thinking culminating in the COVID-19 vaccination policy, and states questioning the central government over the alleged shortage of vaccines.
While India will have 53.6 crore doses between January and July, the availability of vaccines will increase to 133.6 crore doses between August and December with more firms supplying jabs and ramping up of production from the existing companies..

In another major announcement, the prime minister said a decision has been taken to extend Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojna till Deepawali.

This means that till November, 80 crore people will continue to get a decided amount of free foodgrain every month.

While the government is considering allowing domestic air travel without Covid test reports for those who have got both doses of the vaccine, it has opposed a similar measure for international travel.

At a G7 meeting of health ministers on June 4, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan expressed India’s ”concern and strong opposition” to allow vaccine passports for international travel at this juncture of the pandemic.

Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat last week tweeted, “We are making use of existing technologies, doing regular studies and monitoring the situation closely to prevent contamination of the river water, as there were reports of consigning dead bodies in some parts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar into river #Ganga.”

This is the lowest number of cases reported in the last two months. On April 5, 96,982 cases were reported. The following day, 1,15,736 new cases were reported.