Hardeep Puri reiterated his earlier cost that Punjab was profiteering on vaccines. (FILE)
New Delhi:
Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Friday reiterated his earlier cost that the Punjab authorities was profiteering on COVID-19 vaccines, stating that profiteering determine is far larger than reported on 80 per cent procurement of Covishield.
“The Punjab Government had said that they had procured 4.29 lakh doses of Covishield at Rs 13.25 crore, which on average costs Rs 309 per dose. They had also procured 1,14,190 doses of Covaxin at Rs 4.7 crore, which on average costs Rs 412 per dose. The profiteering figure is much higher than reported on 80 per cent procurement of Covishield,” stated the Union Minister whereas chatting with the media.
Hitting out on the Congress and Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu over the “COVID-19 vaccine scam” within the state, he stated: “Congress leaders are not on the same page. Some of them think profiteering on centrally supplied medicines is legitimate. The Health Minister of the Punjab Government abstained all responsibility for this scam!”
Hailing the Central authorities, he stated the Prime Minister has sanctioned 41 oxygen crops for Punjab.
“333 Sikhs were removed from the government blacklist. We gave sanctuary to thousands of our brothers and sisters through Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) law. Langar service in all Gurdwaras was exempted from GST,” he stated.
Mr Puri’s remarks got here in opposition to the backdrop of allegations by the Opposition about COVID-19 vaccines being bought to non-public hospitals at larger costs by the Punjab authorities for revenue.
Earlier, after the allegations of “diverting” Covaxin doses at “hefty margins” had surfaced within the media, Punjab Government had withdrawn its order of offering “one-time” restricted vaccine doses to the 18-44 age group inhabitants by non-public hospitals.
On farmers’ agitation, Mr Puri stated that the Centre is able to reachout to farmers to resolve the deadlock.
“The Prime Minister and his government have made it clear that if you have any doubt regarding farm laws, we are ready to sit with you. We are open to suggestions. It is very unfortunate that we are getting reports of rape from protest site. It must be probed,” he asserted.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is printed from a syndicated feed.)
