<span style="color: #222222;">Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking permission to procure COVID-19 vaccines from other manufacturers to overcome the vaccine shortage faced by the state.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">He said, the state government is willing to procure the requisite stock of vaccines in a single procurement if possible, so as to safeguard all its citizens and to give boost to India's vaccination programme. He however lamented that the producers do not have enough stock of vaccines.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Mr. Thackeray said, if the states are allowed to procure from other manufacturers as well, then they would be able to cover a larger population in a shorter time and would also reduce the impact of the possible third wave of Covid.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">He added that the ICMR may set the medical framework for the respective FDAs of each state, within which we may procure the various vaccines available to the world in this fight against COVID-19.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Further Mr. Thackeray in his letter has also requested the Prime Minister to allow states to set up a separate mobile app on the lines of CoWin for the age group of 18 to 44.</span><br />