India’s estimated population is 1.3 billion. Let us consider that the government of India will vaccinate 1.1 billion people free of cost. This means that a total of 2.2 billion doses are needed.
Price of Covaxin is ₹150 per dose for the central government. Price of Covishield is ₹250 per dose for the central government.
Taking the production capacity of vaccines into account, 35% people will receive Covaxin and the remaining 65% will receive Covishield. Therefore, the government’s total investment on vaccines is ₹4,73,000 million [(2,200×0.35× ₹150)+(2,200×0.65× ₹250)].
According to the government of India, India’s total population will be vaccinated by the end of 2021.
Cost Of Fuel
Diesel and petrol prices in Rajasthan’s Ganganagar have risen to ₹99.8 and ₹106.94 per litre, respectively. For simple calculation, let’s consider the average price of fuel (diesel and petrol) to be ₹103.37 per litre. Since the price of fuel in India is not standardized, let’s use ₹101 as the average price of a litre of fuel, for minimizing errors.
Before Covid-19 hit India, diesel and petrol prices were at ₹69 and ₹72 per litre, respectively. The average price was ₹70.5 per litre. Let’s use ₹70 per litre, for the purpose of simplification.
According to reports, India consumes 4.2 million barrels of fuel every day. This means that India will consume 1,20,204 million litres of fuel from July 2021 to December 2021 (six months).
The difference between average fuel prices, pre- and post-Covid-19 is ₹31 (₹101-₹70) per litre i.e., the government’s profit adds up to ₹31 per litre of fuel.
The government’s total profit comes up to ₹37,26,324 million (1,20,204 million× ₹31) after hiking the price of fuel.
Should Vaccines Be Free?
In Conclusion:
Total profit through fuel = ₹37,26,324 million
Total investment on vaccination = ₹4,73,000 million
Profit (through fuel) is approximately eight times higher than the investment (on vaccines). What do you think about vaccination now, should it be free or not?