Covid-19 vaccine spend may go up by 40%: Finance ministry estimates

The total expenditure on the vaccination drive under the new centralised policy may go up by 40 per cent, according to the finance ministry estimates. 

Sources in the ministry said Finance Secretary T V Somanathan had a discussion with Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on the initial assessment of budgetary allocation of Rs 35,000 crore for vaccines. 

“...the fresh estimates say it could go up to Rs 45,000-50,000 crore,” said a government source.