Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the Covid vaccine could be ready for rollout in a few weeks but made no commitment on how it would be priced or who would foot the bill for the vaccination.

The Prime Minister confined himself to saying the Centre was holding discussions with the state governments about its pricing, which would be done keeping in mind public health.

Addressing an all-party meeting convened to discuss the preparations for the vaccine and its distribution, Modi, often accused of weakening the country’s federal structure with his style of governance by fiat, was more collaborative.

He said the state governments were being consulted on selecting the priority groups for the vaccination, creating the cold chains for distribution and the vaccine cost.

According to Modi, eight potential vaccines are at various stages of trial in the country. They include the three indigenous ones. Experts have said India would not have to wait long now.

“The sense is that the vaccine will be ready in the next few weeks. The moment scientists give the green light, the vaccination campaign will be launched in India,” Modi said.

On who would be the first to be vaccinated, the Prime Minister said that on the basis of suggestions received from state governments, priority would be given to healthcare and frontline workers, besides the elderly with underlying health issues.

He said a COWIN app was being created to map the delivery of the vaccine, and urged everyone present to help fight any rumours that might be spread about the vaccine.

While detailing the preparations for the vaccine to be rolled out, he stressed the need for people to keep their guard up and continue wearing masks and maintaining physical distance.

Although many of the Opposition parties made a case for vaccinating people free of cost, as with the immunisation campaign against polio and small pox, the government made no commitment.

Adhir Chowdhury of the Congress told reporters later that the government had been unable to provide a road map for vaccinating the public, especially the poor.

The DMK’s T.R. Baalu tried to bring up the farmers’ protests but was cut short by parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi, who asked him to stick to the subject. When Baalu persisted, others claimed, his microphone was remotely muted during the meeting, held in the virtual mode.

According to Jay Galla of the TDP, health secretary Rajesh Bhushan informed the MPs that a national expert group on vaccine administration for Covid had been formed to plan and execute the vaccination programme.