R Krishna Das
As expected, the opposition and experts have swung into action to diagnose the announcement made by the Bihar BJP to provide free COVID-19 vaccine once voted to power in the state.
Of the other issues, the critics underlined why the announcement was only for the state of Bihar that was going to the polls? Interestingly, those crying foul would miserably fail to reap any benefit out of the issue as health was purely a state subject.
Nowhere in her tweet did Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the Centre would provide free vaccine. “As soon as COVID19 vaccine will be available for production at a mass scale, every person in Bihar will get free vaccination. This is the first promise mentioned in our poll manifesto,” she said.
Since every political party had a right to release its election manifesto, the BJP also came out with the promises. And if it forms a government in the state, it would be its privilege to provide the vaccine free of cost or charge from the people.
The key issue of vaccine emerges as someone will have to pay for it – and the Central government has already indicated its commitment to pursue a national vaccination drive. However, the drive will entail state governments to step in and ensure its implementation within their state.
Most of the big healthcare programmes are financed by the Central government while state governments simply implement the same. The Centre provides a subsidised vaccine to the states and then state governments determine whether to pass it on with the subsidised price, reduce it further by giving a subsidy from the state exchequer or perhaps distribute it for free.
A few states ruled by the opposition parties had avoided implementing the programmes. The Aayushman Bharat programme was one of the examples.
The opposition-ruled states have full privilege to announce that it would distribute the vaccine free of cost in their respective state. After all, Tamil Nadu had taken the lead followed by a few other states.
