West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, 24 February, saying that the government of West Bengal wants to provide free COVID-19 vaccine to all its citizens. In this regard, the chief minister has requested PM Modi to "take up the matter with appropriate authority” so that the state is able to procure the required number of vaccines.
Banerjee’s request came on the same day that the central government announced the second phase 2 of COVID-19 vaccination drive, set to begin on 1 March. People above the age of 60 and those above 45 with comorbidities will be eligible to get inoculated in the second phase.
The CM began her letter to the PM stating that she wanted to bring his attention to an ‘important public health issue’. Noting that as West Bengal is set to go to elections this year, CM Mamata said that the state administration is required to reach out to every government and para-state employee urgently to make the polling processes safe.
Banerjee further stated, “However, the worrying point is that, in the ensuing elections, the people in general will be forced to go to polling stations without any vaccine coverage.”
“We feel that it is equally important to reach out to them with a rapid vaccination programme immediately for the health and well-being of all concerned with the election process,” she added.
Putting her request forward, Banerjee wrote, “Under the circumstances, the government of West Bengal has decided to procure adequate number of vaccines for the members of public at large. We should request you to kindly take up the matter with the adequate authority, so that the state government is able to purchase the vaccines from designated point(s) on top priority basis, because the West Bengal Government wants to provide vaccination free of cost to all the people.”
According to the Union health ministry, more than 1,21,65,598 vaccine doses have been administered to health and frontline workers so far, who were given the jabs in the first phase.
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