New Delhi, August 11
Responding to Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh’s urgent request for more vaccine supplies in view of the forthcoming festival season and the 26 lakh cases of people overdue for second Covishield shot, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday ordered immediate increase in Punjab’s allocation by 25 per cent.
The Chief Minister had, during a meeting with the Union minister, sought supply of 55 lakh doses of Covid vaccine on priority for his state. Mandaviya assured the chief minister of all help saying while supplies would ease from next month, he would fulfil the state’s requirement by October and ordered the department to immediately increase Punjab’s allocation to meet its urgent requirement.
The Chief Minister said that with sufficient supplies, the state government could arrange to vaccinate 5 lakh-7 lakh people daily.
He pointed out that allocation of vaccine for Punjab for the month of August currently stood at 20,47,060 doses of Covishield, while around 26 lakh doses of this were required just for those whose second dose was overdue.
Citing data, the Chief Minister said Punjab had relatively very less allocation of vaccines (and hence very low per capita vaccination) as compared to the other states, and it needed to be increased to cover more population and catch up with the others. He urged the minister to ensure immediate supplies of both Covishield and Covaxin.
As of August 7, Haryana’s per capita vaccination stands at 35.2, Delhi’s at 39.4, J&K’s at 43.7, Himachal Pradesh’s at 62 and Rajasthan’s at 35.1, as against 27.1 for Punjab.
The Chief Minister observed that Punjab has, till August 7, received only 1,00,73,821 doses, as against Haryana (1,27,94,804), Delhi (1,06,79,728), J&K (66,90,063), Himachal Pradesh (55,51,177) and Rajasthan (34,954,868).
The Chief Minister further sought access for the state to the COWIN portal for analytical purposes.
Amarinder also urged Mandaviya to consider favourably Punjab’s request for setting up a Bulk Drug Park at Bathinda. The state government had applied in October 2020 to set up the park over 1,320-acre land at Bathinda, with the Council of Ministers approving attractive incentives for the same, he pointed out.
During the meeting with the Union minister, who holds additional portfolio of Chemicals and Fertilisers, the Chief Minister also reiterated his government’s demand for enhanced allocation of DAP stocks to Punjab, as per the revised demand by the state. Suppliers should be directed to ensure that adequate supplies are given as per schedule, he told the minister, reiterating the points he had raised in this regard during his meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
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