BS Number Wise: The politics of coronavirus vaccine distribution

Opposition-ruled states are doing better in inoculating people after vaccines were made free of cost

In 1215, England’s King John and his barons agreed on a charter to protect the nobility’s rights. The barons had feared that after a series of defeats, the king would extract more taxes from them and or even take control of their territories. Although both parties reneged on the document, the Magna Carta placed limits on the power of the sovereign and became the basis of individual rights.

Laws have evolved since then, but the fundamental principles enshrined in Magna Carta remain. In a quasi-federal structure like India, states and Centre often fight over domain.

The latest dispute concerns administration of Covid-19 vaccine. States ruled by the BJP’s political rivals have alleged that the central government is biased in distributing vaccines. Although data on vaccine distribution is only present intermittently, analysis of vaccine administration presents a clearer picture.

Are BJP-ruled states better at vaccine administration?

By August 25, 35.1 per cent of India’s eligible population (over 18 years of age) was partially vaccinated (received a single shot of vaccine) and 14.6 per cent was fully vaccinated.

A Business Standard analysis indicates that of the top five states (over 200,000 cases) with the highest percentage of fully vaccinated population, two (Delhi and Kerala) are ruled by opposition parties.

If we discount smaller states like Himachal Pradesh or Uttarakhand, then the performance of BJP-ruled states worsens. Of the top 10 states in terms of vaccinated individuals, eight are ruled by opposition parties.

But the BJP-ruled states perform better in terms of partially vaccinated population. Barring Kerala, all the top five states in terms of partially vaccinated populations are BJP-ruled. Among the top 10 states, opposition parties rule only five.

The central government said on June 21 it is making inoculations free of cost. Since then, three of the five states to record the highest vaccination rate among those aged between 18 and 44 are ruled by opposition parties. In Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh, the number of vaccinations has increased nearly 3.5 times. Congress-ruled Punjab has witnessed a 3.3-time rise; followed by Kerala (Left-ruled), Uttar Pradesh (BJP-ruled) and Assam (BJP-ruled). Opposition parties govern six of the 10 fastest-vaccinating large states. That is when BJP and its allies control 60 per cent of Indian states.

Data indicates that the spread (difference between the growth of vaccination in the most-vaccinated state and the least) has narrowed. Between May 1 and June 21, the number of individuals vaccinated had increased 10.8 times for Goa (governed by the BJP) but only 0.24 times for Chhattisgarh. In the “free for all” vaccination policy, the spread is just 1.8x. The lowest vaccinating state, Arunachal Pradesh, has administered 1.91-times more vaccines since June 25.

The central government doesn’t appear to be biased, but there is a concern about the equitable administration of vaccines.

Are the poor underserved?