By Archit Mehta

Did PM Modi table new vaccine plan prior to Supreme Court criticism?

Here is part 3 of the Alt News investigation.....

Media outlets and journalists overlooked the Supreme Court’s May 31 criticisms on Liberalized Vaccination Policy of the central government. In fact, the SC had suggested on April 30 itself that the Centre should be the one procuring all the vaccines.

TIMELINE OF EVENTS AND JUDICIAL REVIEW

PHASE-I of vaccination started on January 16. The mode of procurement of vaccines was centralised.

Just three days later, the Government of India announced, “In response to these requests, and in keeping with India’s stated commitment to use India’s vaccine production and delivery capacity to help all of humanity fight the Covid pandemic, supplies under grant assistance to Bhutan, Maldives, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar and Seychelles will begin from 20 January 2021.”

Media reports and BJP leaders took this opportunity to pose India as a world leader in vaccine manufacturing. However, a significant share of the supplies was commercial in nature. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, as of May 29, 663.698 lakh supplies were made. Out of which more than 50% were commercial supplies. More details about vaccine diplomacy can be read in this tweet thread.

On February 1, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced a Rs 35,000 crore package for India’s Covid-19 vaccine development and drive in her budget speech.
PHASE-II of vaccination rolled out on March 1. The mode of procurement of vaccines was centralised just like Phase-I.

Registration on Co-WIN 2.0 portal opened on March 1.

The policy stated, “The participants were explained that all citizens that are aged, or will attain the age of, 60 years or more as on 1st January 2022 are eligible to register, in addition to all such citizens that are aged, or will attain the age of, 45 years to 59 years as on 1st January 2022, and have any of the specified 20 comorbidities.”

PHASE-III was effective since May 1. The mode of procurement of vaccines changed to decentralised.

To be continued.....