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Centre looking to renegotiate, finalise vaccine prices with Serum Institute, Bharat Biotech

Until April, private hospitals had to procure vaccines through the government, which allowed the Centre to cap the prices at Rs 250 per dose for both Covishield and Covaxin.

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Covid vaccination in Karnataka

After changing its vaccine procurement policy, the Central government is ready to renegotiate and finalise the prices of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin and Serum Institute’s Covishield.

A senior government official said Rs 150 is the current price for both vaccines, is yet to be decided under the new system. The officials also said that the Centre is finalising the contours of the pricing.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the Centre would buy 75% of doses from vaccine makers, including 25% of the state quota and give it for free to state governments.

This is aimed at facilitating free vaccination for all above 18 years of age from June 21, which is likely to cost the exchequer an additional Rs 15,000 crore as compared to the Budget allocation of Rs 35,000 crore.

When the Centre began vaccination in January, it procured 11 million doses of Covishield at Rs 200 each excluding taxes and about 5.5 million doses of Covaxin at Rs 206 each excluding taxes. However, the prices were later negotiated downwards to Rs 150 per dose.

Until April, private hospitals had to procure vaccines through the government, which allowed the Centre to cap the prices at Rs 250 per dose for both Covishield and Covaxin.

In April, manufacturers were allowed to fix their own prices for states and private healthcare facilities, following the decision to decentralise vaccine procurement. The SII and Bharat Biotech initially priced their vaccines at Rs 400 and Rs 600 respectively for states and Rs 600 and Rs 1,200 respectively for private facilities. Following backlash, the procurement prices for states were revised to Rs 300 per dose of Covishield and Rs 400 per dose of Covaxin.

The states, which initially had to compete with private hospitals for vaccine supplies, were later allowed to access an exclusive 25% of the vaccines produced at the revised rates. The Centre still had access to 50 per cent of the doses, while the remaining 25% was opened to private hospitals.

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The Centre had filed affidavit filed in response to a suo motu petition in the Supreme Court on the distribution of essential supplies and services during the pandemic. Citing concerns raised during the proceedings the apex court had said that the Liberalised Vaccination Policy leaves the State/UT governments to fend for themselves, rather than the Central government acting on behalf of the entire nation.  

The dichotomy in pricing was flagged by the Supreme Court on May 31.

2024 Lok Sabha Elections

PM Modi calls for high voter turnout in second phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024, says your vote is your voice

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urges citizens to participate in record numbers during the second phase of polling for the Lok Sabha Elections 2024.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to social media as the second phase of voting for the Lok Sabha Elections of 2024 got underway across the country to encourage voters to cast votes in huge numbers. PM Modi emphasized in his speech the value of voting in preserving democracy and notably urged women and young people to cast votes.

Taking to social media X, formerly Twitter, PM Modi wrote, urging everyone in constituencies to participate in record numbers in today’s second phase of the Lok Sabha elections. He said our democracy is strengthened by high voter turnout. He especially urged female and youth voters to cast votes in large numbers. Your vote is your voice, he added.

It is important to remember that 88 Lok Sabha constituencies—spread among 13 states and Union Territories—are presently holding polls. Twenty seats in Kerala, fourteen in Karnataka, thirteen in Rajasthan, eight in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, six in Madhya Pradesh, five in Assam and Bihar, three in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, and one in each of Tripura, Jammu & Kashmir, and Manipur are currently up for election. Notably, the untimely death of a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate has resulted in the Madhya Pradesh constituency of Betul being spared from voting on April 26.

Meanwhile, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar emphasized the thorough planning that has taken place over the previous two years and reassured the public of careful security measures at every voting place. They have been preparing for the last two years, he said. At each booth, the arrangements are ready. Everything has been prepared for the voters, including fans and drinking water. Voters must turn out to cast their votes. Safety has been considered. There is zero information available anywhere regarding violence. However, there will be forces at every booth.

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2024 Lok Sabha Elections

Bollywood actor Neha Sharma campaigns for her father Ajit Sharma in Bhagalpur, Bihar

The Bollywood actor posted a video on her Instagram handle which showed her journey through various districts of Bihar, including Kishanganj, Banka, Purnea and Katihar. She was dressed in a traditional salwar kameez and was seen greeting and encouraging the public to cast their votes.

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Bollywood actor Neha Sharma’s recent participation in a roadshow in Bihar has taken the internet by storm. Sharma, known for her roles in films like Tum Bin 2 and Crook, was seen supporting her father, Ajit Sharma, who is contesting from Bhagalpur Lok Sabha seat on a Congress ticket. The roadshow came amid speculations that the actor might enter politics. But, it is now clear that she was just campaigning for her father.

neha sharma

The Bollywood actor posted a video on her Instagram handle which showed her journey through various districts of Bihar, including Kishanganj, Banka, Purnea and Katihar. She was dressed in a traditional salwar kameez and was seen greeting and encouraging the public to cast their votes.

The actor received a warm reception and love from a large crowd in Pirpainti and Kahalgaon during her roadshow. She wrote on Instagram that it is said when someone gives one a place in their heart, then they live there forever. She said her heart is full of all the love and support she was receiving from the people. She thanked the people for the warm welcome she got in Pirpainti and Kahalgaon. Aapka pyar sar ankhon par.

Another video, circulating on social media showed the actor actively participating in her father’s election campaign in Bhagalpur. The election to the Bhagalpur Lok Sabha seat is set to take place in the 2nd phase on April 26. Ajit Sharma is representing the Congress and is up against JDU’s Ajay Kumar Mandal in this seat.

Earlier, there had been rumours and speculations that Neha Sharma might join politics. But many reports have clarified that she is not making her political debut yet. The Bollywood actor had been offered the opportunity to join politics by her father Ajjit Sharma but she is currently focusing on her acting career.

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Education

Farmer’s son Nilkrishna Gajare Nirmalkumar from Maharashtra scores 100 NTA score in IIT-JEE Mains 2024

Nilkrishna Gajare’s father is a farmer and had to discontinue his own education after Class 12 as he faced financial difficulties. Gajare faced financial challenges growing up. However, his unwavering dedication and strategic approach to preparation set him apart from the crowd.

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Nilkrishna Gajare, who hails from Maharashtra’s Washim, achieved an extraordinary feat by securing a perfect score of 100 in the JEE Main 2024 examination. His journey from humble beginnings to the pinnacle of success is a source of inspiration for many people.

Nilkrishna Gajare’s father is a farmer and had to discontinue his own education after Class 12 as he faced financial difficulties. Gajare faced financial challenges growing up. However, his unwavering dedication and strategic approach to preparation set him apart from the crowd, which resulted in his remarkable achievement of emerging as topper of one of India’s toughest Engineering entrance exams.

Nilkrishna Gajare had a strategic plan that helped him succeed in IIT-JEE 2024. According to Nilkrishna persistence is important and one should never stop trying until they understand a topic. He said being curious and asking questions are important traits of a good student.  He said one should not be ashamed of asking questions.

Nilkrishna spent around 10-15 hours every day studying on his own for the JEE Main exam. He mentioned that he used his class notes for Physics and Physical Chemistry. For organic chemistry and inorganic chemistry, he relied on both notes and practice questions.

As for Mathematics, he believed that practicing regularly was the most important thing for him. Other interests of Nilkrishna include archery. He has participated at both state and national levels, and he finds joy in the sport.  He said archery helps him understand the importance of focusing his attention on his goals. Nilkrishna likes watching movies and said they are a great source of enjoyment and relaxation.

He likes to watch a movie after exams and occasionally treats himself to one each week too. Gajare aims to keep up the pace for the JEE-Advanced exam and hopes to get into the IITs. He said he wants to secure admission in IIT-Bombay in the computer science branch.

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