Iskra ( The Spark)

Amidst complaints of vaccine shortages, the Centre has now rolled out phase 3 of Covid vaccination on 19 th  April 2021 where everyone above the age of 18 is eligible for getting vaccinated. But the cost of vaccinating the 18 to 45 age group should either be borne by States or citizens. The many States have announced free vaccines for all adults from May 1 but at the same time, many states complained about the fiscal burden on the state exchequer. So, the natural question that arises is – Does the central government have the fiscal space to do so? The answer lies in the Budget speech dated 1 st  February 2021 where Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman announced “ I have provided 35,000 crores for Covid-19 vaccine in BE 2021-22. I am committed to providing further funds if required" (Paragraph 38).  Two days later on 3 rd  February, Expenditure secretary of the Finance ministry, T.V. Somanathan, addressed the press and elaborated the government ...

 The following two are the paragraph of a history book  Terrible famines took place during 1896-97 and 1899-1900 while bubonic plague broke out in Maharashtra killing thousands of Indians. Tilak criticized the government's relief efforts and the arrogant attitude of the Government Plague Commissioners. When riots broke cut, the government tried to stifle public opinion. In 1903, Congress President Lal Mohan Ghose referred to the Darbar of 1903 and stated, 'Nothing could seem more heartless than the spectacle of a great government imposing the heaviest taxation upon the poorest population in the world, and then lavishly spending the money so obtained over fireworks and pompous pageants, while millions of the poor were dying of starvation' Now Lets come to present (Terrible famines took place during 1896-97 and 1899-1900 while bubonic plague broke out in Maharashtra killing thousands of Indians.)  The total a number of coronavirus cases in the country stood at 96,...