In a major development in terms of Covid-19 vaccination drive, Modi government on Wednesday confirmed that everyone above 60 years of age and those over 45 years and having other illnesses will be able to get COVID-19 vaccine from March 1 for free at government facilities and for a charge at many private hospitals.

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Announcing the next phase of India's vaccination drive, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said a proposal to this effect was approved at a meeting of the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "While the vaccine will be given for free at government centres, it will be available for a charge, to be decided later, at many private hospitals," the minister said at a post-Cabinet media briefing, as per a report in PTI.

Meanwhile, India's total tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 1,10,30,176 with 13,742 new infections, while the recoveries have surged to 1,07,26,702, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday. The death toll increased to 1,56,567 with 104 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,07,26,702 which translates to a national COVID-19 recovery rate of 97.25 per cent and the case fatality rate stands at 1.42 per cent. There are 1,46,907 active cases of coronavirus infections in the country which comprises 1.33 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.

India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16.It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19. According to the ICMR, 21,30,36,275 samples have been tested up to February 23 with 8,05,844 samples being tested on Tuesday.