Rajasthan announces free COVID-19 vaccination for everyone above 18 from May 1

File Photo (Credits: ANI)

Jaipur: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday (April 26, 2021) announced free vaccination for people above 18 years of age in the state for the next vaccination round which starts from May 1.

Taking it to his official Twitter handle, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, worte, "Rajasthan government has decided to vaccinate its young population of over 18 year free of cost. The state will bear the expense of Rs 3000 crore on this drive."

राजस्थान सरकार ने प्रदेश के 18 वर्ष से अधिक आयुवर्ग के सभी लोगों को लगभग 3000 करोड़ रुपये की धनराशि खर्च कर निशुल्क कोविड वैक्सीन लगाने का फैसला किया है। — Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) April 25, 2021

Registrations for the next round of vaccination will be open from today on the Centre's Co-WIN portal and Aarogya Setu app.

Gehlot also said, “it would have been better had the Central government borne the expense of vaccination of 18 years plus group the way it was doing for those over 45. The state's budget would not have been disturbed.”

यह बेहतर होता कि राज्य सरकारों की मांग के अनुसार भारत सरकार 60 वर्ष एवं 45 वर्ष से अधिक आयुवर्ग की तरह ही 18 वर्ष से 45 वर्ष तक की आयु के युवाओं के वैक्सीनेशन का खर्च भी उठा लेती तो राज्यों का बजट डिस्टर्ब नहीं होता। — Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) April 25, 2021

For the past several days, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has been demanding the Central government to bear the cost of vaccination of those above the 18 years of age.

In a recent COVID-19 review meeting via video conference chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gehlot had raised this issue.

Earlier, governments of Haryana, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Kerala have already declared that they would be providing free COVID vaccines to all above 18-years.