Modi asks States to work out block-level plan for speedy distribution of vaccines when available
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday slammed “politics” over the availability of anti-coronavirus vaccine while asking States to work out “block-level plan” for speedy distribution of the vaccine as and when it is available in the country. The PM held a review meeting with eight worst Covid-19 affected States after new surge in cases.
Addressing Chief Ministers, Modi asked them to send a detailed plan to the Centre on how much cold-storage needed for the anti-Covid-19 vaccine.
Modi said he cannot say when the vaccine would be available and sought that it should not be “politicised”.
“Stop politics over vaccine…its delivery is at hands of the scientists,” he was quoted as saying in the CMs’ meet.
The PM, however, made it clear in the meeting that the timeline and the cost of vaccine has not yet been finalised.
Modi repeatedly warned against showing “carelessness” which he said caused spike in numbers. He asked States to bring down coronavirus positivity to four per cent.
The meeting took place in view of a surge in the number of cases due to onset of winter, festival seasons, and casual approach in the public.
The interaction was two-phased — first with the worst-affected States and second with all States on laying out a plan for the smooth distribution of the vaccines.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal were among those present at the meeting, held via video conference.
Punjab CM Amarinder Singh skipped the video conference meet.
Modi took stock of spike in casualties and spoke on the need for the Centre and States to work with better coordination, devise new containment strategy and need to put in place a system for the distribution of the vaccine as and when it was available for the distribution across the country in coming months.
The Prime Minister said 160 new oxygen plants are being started to augment supply of oxygen and all demands of States are to be met through PMCare fund. He asked CMs to form steering committees at the State, district and block-level with regular meetings, monitoring and training for the vaccine distribution at a mass scale in the country.
The Prime Minister assured States all help from the Centre and sought them to detail their needs.
In the recently concluded Bihar elections, the promise of “free-distribution” of vaccine by the BJP had come up for a sharp criticism from the Opposition parties with the latter accusing the ruling party of politicising the vaccine when there is none around.
Modi in the meeting said the frontline health workers would have the first claim on the vaccine, besides military, paramilitary forces and senior citizens.
The Prime Minister said India has a great “experience” in vaccine and his Government was “looking at all aspects of its development”.
“Two Indigenous vaccines are ahead in the race”, he said.
While emphasising need to reach everyone in the country, Modi said the exercise needs to be smooth and systematic as it would be a long-drawn one. “Greater coordination and team-work between the Centre and the States would be needed,” he said. Modi said guidelines of World Health Organisation on the distribution of the vaccine also to be followed.
Striking caution to people going “careless”, he said there should be no let up in the battle against coronavirus. He reminded people that “they should be careful as there is no vaccine now”.
The Prime Minister said India “fought Covid bravely” and assured States all help from the Centre and sought them to detail their needs.
The West Bengal CM wanted the Prime Minister that the Centre pays her State’s GST dues to help ramp up its finances. She said Covid situation in her State is in control. The Rajasthan CM said his State has ramped up testing and health infrastructure.
The Gujarat CM said the PM discussed with all CMs plan for the fast distribution of the vaccine.
Most of the States wanted more ventilators and ways of more ogygen supply.
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal informed PM Modi that Delhi saw a peak of 8,600 Covid-19 cases on November 10 in the third peak.
“Since then cases and positivity rate are steadily decreasing. The high severity of third wave is due to many factors including pollution,” said Kejriwal in the meeting.
The Delhi CM sought Modi’s intervention to get rid of pollution due to stubble burning from adjoining States especially in view of recent bio decomposer.
Kejriwal urged the Prime Minister for the reservation of additional 1,000 ICU beds in Central Government hospitals till third wave lasts.
Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray informed PM Modi that he is in constant touch with Adar Poonawalla of Serum Institute and that the State has formed a task force to ensure timely distribution of vaccine and executing the vaccination programme.
In view of new wave of coronavirus, Maharashtra has made compulsory carrying Covid-19 negative test for all those flying or travelling to Maharashtra from Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Goa. The test negative has to be done 72 hours before landing in Maharashtra.
The PM-CM meeting comes a day after the Supreme Court said that the Covid-19 pandemic has worsened in Delhi and gone out of control in Gujarat.
The top court directed the Centre and all States to apprise it within two days of the steps taken to contain the situation nationwide. The situation is likely to worsen in December and all States have to be ready to “combat” it, the top court said while expressing concern over the spurt in coronavirus cases across the country.
Earlier, the Central Government had sent high-level teams to Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Manipur and Chhattisgarh.
On November 20, the Prime Minister held a meeting to review India’s vaccination strategy and discussed important issues related to progress of vaccine development, regulatory approvals and procurement with top officials.
Wednesday, 25 November 2020 | PNS | New Delhi
