Niti Aayog expresses confidence in corporate sector to support COVID-19 vaccination as CSR activity

Rajiv Kumar, Vice Chairman of Niti Aayog, showed optimism that money and the necessary resources would be available for an operable and effective vaccination system to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic but didn’t share the expected incurred cost.

During a virtual event organized by Public Affairs Forum of India (PAFI), Rajiv Kumar expressed his trust in the corporate sector and said that it would come forward to the occasion and entertain the vaccination a part as their CSR activity.

Responding to the queries about the money needed to procure and distribute the vaccines, he commented, “I think it is very premature at the moment to talk about costs, funds and resources required for getting the vaccination that will depend entirely on what the modalities are, how we go about it. I think given the lead the prime minister has given, I don’t think that (cost) will come in the way of putting in place a viable, effective vaccination system.”

CEO of Serum Institute of India (SII)Adar Poonawalla, which is producing the potential COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University, had pointed a question at the government if it will have the availability of Rs 80,00 crore to purchase and dispense it. Whereas, Kumar clarified that Serum Institute of India (SII) will not be the only organization to produce and avail the vaccine.

Kumar said that they are also working to provide unique IDs to those who will get the vaccination and make it portable to present it as an evidence wherever a person travels. Niti Aayog is yet to decide whether the vaccination would be given to senior citizens first, or the working population.