New Delhi, May 4 (IANS): The Centre on Tuesday announced it will provide more than 48 lakh Covid-19 vaccine doses to the states and Union Territories within the next three days.

Contrary to the hue and cry regarding shortage of vaccine across the country, the Central government said "more than 75 lakh Covid vaccine doses (75,24,903) are still available with the states and UTs to be administered."

The balance of availability of doses with states include Chhattisgarh (2,93,383), Delhi (3,34,003), Rajasthan (3,46,237), Karnataka (4,48,039), Telangana (4,57,133), Jharkhand (5,32, 072), Haryana (6,22,864), Madhya Pradesh (7,09,026), Bihar (7,57,174), and Uttar Pradesh (12,78,594).

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and also the Central government have so far provided nearly 16.69 crore vaccine doses (16,69,97,410) to states and UTs "free of cost". Of this, the total consumption including wastage is 15,94,75,507 doses, as per data available at 8 a.m. on Tuesday.

"Furthermore, more than 48 lakh (48,41,670) vaccine doses will be received in addition by the states and UTs within the next 3 days," the MoHF said.

The announcement comes when the cumulative number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in the country crossed 15.89 crore on Tuesday with more than four lakh people aged between 18 to 44 years being vaccinated in the Phase-3 drive.

A total of 4,06,339 beneficiaries in the 18 to 44 age group received their first dose of Covid vaccine across 12 states and Union Territories.