New Delhi, Oct 10 (IANS): The Central Government has provided over 95.96 crore anti-coronavirus vaccine doses to States and Union Territories, the Union Health Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

A total of 8,28,73,425 cr balance and unutilized vaccine doses are still available with the States and UTs, it said.

After the new phase of universalization of Covid-19 vaccination commenced from June 21, the Centre has supplied a total of 95,96,58,375 vaccine doses, the statement said.

The vaccination drive has been ramped up through availability of more vaccines, advance visibility of vaccine availability to States and UTs for enabling better planning by them, and streamlining the vaccine supply chain.

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

In the new phase, the government will procure and supply 75 per cent of the vaccines with free of cost.

In September, the WHO had said that India has the systems in place to administer a large number of vaccine doses and achieve the mammoth feat of vaccinating all the country's population by December 2021.

In an interview with IANS, WHO Southeast Asia Regional Director, Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh said that the country can prevent another surge together with vaccination and adhering to Covid norms, while stressing the need for global vaccine equality to defeat Covid-19 worldwide.