Expenditure Secretary TV Somanathan Assures Govt Will Find The Money To Vaccinate Indians

Expenditure Secretary TV Somanathan yesterday (13 October) assured that budgetary constraints will not be a problem in vaccinating the masses against the COVID-19 disease once an effective vaccine is available, reports Livemint.

Somanathan emphasised that to make available the resources for the vaccination of the people is the responsibility of the Government and said that "it will be done." He clearly stated that the Union Ministry of Finance will ensure that the availability of resources is not a reason for non-vaccination.

Speaking candidly, Somanathan said, "I have seen reports saying ‘Oh, how the government will fund it!’ We are not a banana republic. We can afford to pay for the vaccine. We will find the money, we will somehow manage."

Somanathan's comments took on the recent assertion made by the Serum Institute of India (SII)'s chief executive Adar Poonawalla that the Government may need to pay as much as Rs 80,000 crore over the next one year for distribution of COVID-19 vaccine to all Indians. he had called it a concerning challenge".

Poonawalla's assertion had also met disagreement from Union Health Secretary Ajay Bhushan a few days ago.