PM-CMs meet on Covid situation: Naveen raises vaccine shortage issue

Bhubaneswar, April 8: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik raised the vaccine shortage issue in a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi today.  “In 2020-21, Odisha had requested for Rs 400 crore under Emergency Covid Response Plan, but got Rs 146 crore. In view of new wave, it is requested that Rs 300 crore be released to Odisha for 2021-22 for Covid Management,” Odisha Chief Minister said. “We have reactivated our system to tackle the new rise in the Covid cases especially in districts bordering some states with high incidence of the virus.  We would request the Union Government for the support in Covid Management,” said CM. “We thank the Union Government for allowing the States, under SDRF guidelines, to spend up to 50% of the annual allocation for Covid-related activities during 2020-21. The same guidelines may be continued for the year 2021-22 as well,” Naveen said. “Odisha has been doing well in vaccination program with among the lowest wastage in the country and efficient system of administering the vaccine to eligible persons. We have not been able to ramp up the vaccination due to supply issues. We are currently able to vaccinate 2.5 lakh persons per day and have capability to increase further. We request that at least 10 days stock of the vaccines is ensured for Odisha,” the CM said in the meeting. The entire country has to put up a united front against this pandemic and we will continue to provide support in this fight, he added.