New Delhi, Aug 1 (IANS): Asserting its commitment to accelerating the pace and expanding the scope of Covid-19 vaccination throughout the country, the Centre on Sunday said that over 49.49 crore vaccine doses have been provided to states and Union Territories so far and a further 8,04,220 are in the pipeline.

"Of this, the total consumption including wastages is 46,70,26,662 doses (as per the data available at 8 a.m. on Sunday)," an official statement said.

It said that over 3 crore (3,00,58,190) unutilised Covid vaccine doses are still available with the states and Union Territories and private hospitals to be administered.

"The vaccination drive has been ramped up through availability of more vaccines, advance visibility of vaccine availability to states and UTs for enabling better planning by them, and streamlining the vaccine supply chain," it said.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Sunday said that over 13 crore vaccines have been administered in July and the vaccination drive will get more accelerated from August. "We must feel proud of our health workers for this feat," he said.

As earlier in the day, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi questioned the shortage of vaccines supply to the states, Mandaviya urged him to feel proud at the efforts of health workers who have administered over 47 crore vaccinations so far.