<p>Karnataka Congress president D K Shivakumar on Tuesday charged that the state government’s plan to float a global tender to procure Covid-19 vaccines was just a money-making exercise.</p>.<p>“For this government, the coronavirus pandemic is a festival to make money,” Shivakumar told reporters. “This global tender is a way to make money through commissions and agents. Do they think we don't know?”</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/top-karnataka-stories/karnataka-to-float-global-tender-for-two-crore-covid-19-vaccine-doses-984832.html" target="_blank">Karnataka to float global tender for two crore Covid-19 vaccine doses</a></strong></p>.<p>Shivakumar said all the state’s Congress legislators and MPs had agreed to set aside Rs 100 crore collectively under their Local Area Development (LAD) funds. “We will also procure vaccines. We’ll show them how it’s done. Also, we will know how much other states end up paying for the doses,” he said.</p>.<p>The B S Yediyurappa administration has decided to float a global tender to procure two crore vaccine doses. “Their own committee members do this business of global tenders. The poor CM doesn’t know,” Shivakumar said. “Last year, one minister announced that IT parks will be allowed to open at 50% capacity because 10% rent was fixed (as commission). But later, permission was rolled back,” he said, declining to reveal the minister’s name.</p>.<p>Shivakumar also demanded that the government should announce a special economic package to help those whose livelihood was impacted due to the lockdown. “There is no other option, because it’s the government that has given this disease to people,” he said.</p>.<p>In a separate news conference, Congress leaders Krishna Byre Gowda, Priyank Kharge and Rizwan Arshad slammed the Centre's "step-motherly" treatment of Karnataka despite citizens electing 25 BJP MPs.</p>
<p>Karnataka Congress president D K Shivakumar on Tuesday charged that the state government’s plan to float a global tender to procure Covid-19 vaccines was just a money-making exercise.</p>.<p>“For this government, the coronavirus pandemic is a festival to make money,” Shivakumar told reporters. “This global tender is a way to make money through commissions and agents. Do they think we don't know?”</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/top-karnataka-stories/karnataka-to-float-global-tender-for-two-crore-covid-19-vaccine-doses-984832.html" target="_blank">Karnataka to float global tender for two crore Covid-19 vaccine doses</a></strong></p>.<p>Shivakumar said all the state’s Congress legislators and MPs had agreed to set aside Rs 100 crore collectively under their Local Area Development (LAD) funds. “We will also procure vaccines. We’ll show them how it’s done. Also, we will know how much other states end up paying for the doses,” he said.</p>.<p>The B S Yediyurappa administration has decided to float a global tender to procure two crore vaccine doses. “Their own committee members do this business of global tenders. The poor CM doesn’t know,” Shivakumar said. “Last year, one minister announced that IT parks will be allowed to open at 50% capacity because 10% rent was fixed (as commission). But later, permission was rolled back,” he said, declining to reveal the minister’s name.</p>.<p>Shivakumar also demanded that the government should announce a special economic package to help those whose livelihood was impacted due to the lockdown. “There is no other option, because it’s the government that has given this disease to people,” he said.</p>.<p>In a separate news conference, Congress leaders Krishna Byre Gowda, Priyank Kharge and Rizwan Arshad slammed the Centre's "step-motherly" treatment of Karnataka despite citizens electing 25 BJP MPs.</p>
