Serum Institute of India (SII), the world's largest vaccine maker, on Wednesday announced a price of Rs 600 per dose for Covid vaccine supplies to private hospitals and Rs 400 per dose to state governments.

In a statement posted on its Twitter handle, SII said it will address the limited capacity by scaling up the vaccine production over the next two months.

"Going ahead, 50 per cent of our capacities will be served to the Government of India's vaccination programme, and the remaining 50 per cent of the capacity will be for the state governments and private hospitals," it said.

SII said Covishield vaccine will be available to state governments for Rs 400 per dose and to private hospitals at Rs 600 per dose.

It also clarified that its vaccines will still be more affordable than foreign jabs that cost between Rs 750 to Rs 1,500 per dose.

"We would urge all corporate and private individuals to access the vaccines through the state facilitated machinery and private health systems. Post four-five months, the vaccines will be made available in retail and free trade," the statement further read.

SII’s announcement comes two days after the government liberalised the vaccination drive to allow states, private hospitals and industrial establishments to procure doses directly from manufacturers.

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday criticised the Union government over differential pricing of Covishield vaccine, saying the Centre getting it at Rs 150 per dose and states at Rs 400 is no cooperative federalism.

He demanded the Centre and state governments pay the same price for the Covid-19 vaccine.

He said overcharging state governments for the anti-coronavirus shots will bleed dry their already stressed finances.

"The Central government will continue to pay Rs 150 per dose for Covishield. State governments will now be charged Rs 400 a dose. This is not cooperative federalism. This will bleed dry the already reeling state finances. Atrocious," he said on Twitter.

"We demand One Nation, One Price for Centre and State governments," he said.