Agriculture Minister Kurasala Kannababu on Sunday said that the State government was ready to spend ₹1600 crore, the estimated amount required to purchase COVID-19 vaccines to complete the inoculation drive across the State.
In a media conference held at his residence on Sunday, Mr. Kannababu dared TDP nartional president N. Chandrababu Naidu to take the initiation to lobby with the Bharat Biotech group to supply the required vaccines to the State government, instead of campaigning against the drive.
“The State government has sought 4 lakh doses of vaccines from the Centre and earmarked ₹1,600 crore for the inoculation drive. However, the pharma companies are citing their inability to cater to the demand on time,” said Mr. Kannababu.
The Agriculture Minister said that the government had decided to accord a priority of administering the second dose of vaccine to those who had received the first dose. He said that the government had set a record of vaccinating 6 lakh people in a day, with the support of the Secretariat system.
