NEW DELHI -- The Indian government has stated an estimated 40 million eligible beneficiaries in the country have not taken even a single dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The statement was made by junior federal health minister Bharati Pravin Pawar in the lower house of the Indian parliament (locally called Lok Sabha) on Friday.

Pawar said in a written reply to the parliament that as on Monday, "an estimated 4 crore (40 million) eligible beneficiaries have not taken even a single dose of COVID-19 vaccine."

The minister said a total of 926,172,661 beneficiaries (87.4 percent) had received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine until Monday.

Pawar stated precaution doses, or the third doses, were available free of cost to healthcare workers, frontline workers and all beneficiaries above 60 years of age from March 16 in government COVID-19 Vaccination Centres (CVCs) and for 18-59 years age group from April 10 in private CVCs.

On July 15, the Indian government launched a 75-day drive to administer precaution doses free of cost to all aged 18 years and above at government vaccination centers.

At present, the Indian government is focusing on promoting booster doses as the uptake for the third dose has been low.

According to officials, the exercise is aimed at improving the booster dose coverage among the people in the wake of the detection of new variants.