Chhattisgarh: The Centre on Monday announced that all persons above 18 years will be eligible for Covid-19 vaccines from May 1. Days after the announcement, on Wednesday, the Chhattisgarh Government declared that the cost of the vaccine doses to all above 18 will be borne by the State Government.

Bhupesh Baghel, CM of Chhattisgarh requested the Centre to supply an adequate number of Covid-19 vaccines in the state so that the target to inoculate all the persons above 18 can be achieved without any difficulty.

In a major report, the CM said, “Expenses, to vaccinate all aged above 18 years in Chhattisgarh, will be borne by the state government. We will take all possible steps to protect our citizens’ lives. Request central govt to ensure availability of an adequate number of vaccines”.

The CM took this step after Yogi Adityanath, CM of Uttar Pradesh also decided to administer vaccines free of cost. He tweeted, “Dear countrymen, Today it has been decided in the meeting of Council of ministers that Covid-19 vaccination of all the people above 18 years of age in Uttar Pradesh will be made free by @UPGovt. Corona will lose, India will win”.

The vaccine manufacturers in the third phase of the vaccination drive will supply 50% doses to the state governments and in the open market. And the remaining 50% will be supplied to the central Government.