The Centre on Tuesday said it has placed orders for 44 crore doses of Covishield and Covaxin, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the Centre would take over the state procurement quota and provide free jabs to state governments for inoculation of all above the age of 18.

These 44 crore doses of Covid-19 vaccines will be delivered by their makers between August and December 2021, the Union Health Ministry said.