The central government is taking over the vaccination programme and will supply vaccines to the states free of cost, PM Modi announced in an address to the nation at 5 pm.
"The Centre will give free vaccines to states for all above 18," the PM declared.
Twenty-five per cent vaccines will continue to be procured by private hospitals, but even here the maximum service charge has been capped at Rs 150 per jab.
The PM said seven firms in India are in the process of producing different types of vaccines and the trials of three more vaccines are at an advanced stage.
Research work on a nasal vaccine is also in the works, the PM added.
Terming vaccinations as the ultimate 'shield', the PM lauded the Indian scientists' ability to manufacture two vaccines within a year to fight the virus.
PM Modi underlined that adhering to coronavirus protocol is the only way to combat the pandemic as the country is fighting the virus on multiple fronts, a new health infrastructure has also been created in India.
Empathising with those affected, PM Modi reiterated that the Indian government did all it could to boost the production of liquid medical oxygen amid an unprecedented medical crisis.
He added that the government also sought to import important medical supplies from abroad to fight the dreaded pandemic.
At least 33 crore vaccine doses have been administered to date, he added.
The PM's address came on a day India recorded 1,00,636 fresh COVID-19 cases, the lowest in 61 days.
Several states have also begun unlocking. In New Delhi, which has been under lockdown restrictions since April 19, a second phase of unlocking commenced with metro trains running at 50 per cent capacity and markets, malls functioning on an odd-even basis.
In Maharashtra, a five-tier unlock process is in progress with cities like Mumbai, Pune, Aurangabad, and Nagpur, among others are seeing some relaxation in restrictions.
State capital Mumbai falls in level-3 of the Maharashtra government's five-level 'unlock plan'.