New Delhi, Jun 20 (IANS): Amid shortage of Covid jabs in many states, the Centre on Sunday announced that more than 3.06 crore vaccine doses are still available with the states and the Union Territories (UTs) to be administered, and over 24 lakh will be provided to them within three days.

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's (MoHFW) latest data reveals that more than 29.10 crore (29,10,54,050) vaccine doses have been provided to states and the UTs so far through the Central government (free of cost channel) and through direct state procurement category.

Of this, the total consumption, including wastages is 26,04,19,412 doses, as per data available at 8 a.m. on Sunday.

Citing the data, the Ministry clarified that more than 3,06,34,638 Covid vaccine doses are still available with the states and the UTs to be administered.

Furthermore, it said, more than 24,53,080 vaccine doses are in the pipeline and will be received by the states and the UTs within the next three days.

As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, the Central government has been supporting the states and the UTs by providing them Covid vaccines free of cost.

In addition, the Central government has also been facilitating direct procurement of vaccines by the states and the UTs.

The government pushing vaccination which is an integral pillar of its comprehensive strategy for containment and management of the Covid-19 pandemic, along with Test, Track, Treat and Covid appropriate behaviour.

Under the vaccination strategy, in every month 50 per cent of the total Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) cleared vaccine doses of any manufacturer would be procured by Central government, which would continue to make these doses available to the state governments totally free of cost as was being done earlier.