Centre asks states to set up panels for vaccine distribution: Karnataka HM Bommai
PM Modi's meeting with Chief Ministers of all states
Bengaluru, Nov 24: The Centre has asked states to constitute a steering committee at state-level and district and taluk levels for quick and effective distribution of COVID-19 vaccine once available, Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Friday.
Bommai, who participated in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's video conference along with Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, said the plan was to provide the vaccine on priority basis for 30 crore people.
There should be election-like meticulous preparation from the booth level by having in place vaccination centres and trained health workers or volunteers, for quick and effective distribution of the vaccine, he told reporters here.
"The Prime Minister's video conference was to ensure proper implementation, whenever the vaccine is ready and towards ensuring that it reaches certain sections of people on priority," the Minister said.
Among the priority category, about one crore would be health workers, two crore corona warriors, about 26 crore people above the age of 50-60 years and remaining are those with comorbidities, he said.
A steering committee under the Chairmanship of the Chief Minister will be constituted at the state level. There will be committees at the district and taluk levels, Bommai said.
Volunteers have to be trained and health workers both in public and private sectors have to be used for this purpose, he said, sharing details of the deliberations in the video conference.
"During elections how we plan meticulously at every booth level in such a way vaccination centres have to be set up, digital information has to be created and track record has to be maintained as vaccination is to be administered in two to three doses," he added.
Modi on Tuesday interacted via video conferencing with chief ministers of various states regarding COVID-19 situation and vaccine distribution plan. Home Minister Amit Shah, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and senior officials also attended the meeting.
The meeting comes as the central government has been putting in place measures for quick and effective distribution of coronavirus vaccine when it becomes available.
Besides Yediyurappa and Bommai, Revenue Minister R Ashoka, Social Welfare Minister B Sriramulu, Chief Secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar and other senior officials were present at the meeting on Karnataka's behalf.
Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar, who participated in the video conference from Hyderabad, in a statement said, as per directions of the union government, preparations were under way for vaccine distribution in the state.
A total of 29,451 vaccine distribution centres and more than 10,000 vaccinators have been identified.
There were about 2,855 cold chain centres in the state and cold storage facilities of the Veterinary Department and private hospitals will also be utilised, he added.
Responding to a question as to when the vaccine will be available, Bommai said no specific date has been shared by the Centre.
Development of vaccines against COVID-19 was at various stages with 50 in clinical research stage, 25 under advanced trial and five are in clinical trial stage in the country, he said.
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Bengal: Over 55 pc turnout till 1 pm in repoll in 15 booths of 2 assembly seats
Kolkata (PTI): Over 55 per cent turnout was recorded till 1 pm in repoll in 15 booths of two assembly constituencies in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district on Saturday, an official said.
Voting was underway more or less peacefully at 11 polling stations of Magrahat Paschim assembly constituency and four in Diamond Harbour, where the EC ordered repoll a day ago, following reports of electoral malpractices.
However, at booth number 179 at Chanda Primary School of Diamond Harbour seat, the Trinamool Congress alleged that a specially abled voter and his mother were harassed by central forces. The alleged incident sparked protests by party workers and locals.
The TMC claimed that the voter's mother, who had entered the booth to assist him, and her son were detained for a considerable time by central forces over alleged rule violations.
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"TMC leaders Manmohini Biswas and Pratik Ur Rahman reached the spot and led the protests, with residents terming the action unwarranted harassment. The matter has been taken care of by our officials there," an official of the poll body said.
Polling was otherwise peaceful across 15 booths in the area, he added.
Voting began at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm, the official said, adding that till 1 pm, the turnout was 55.57 per cent.
Magrahat Paschim registered 56.33 per cent voter turnout, while in Diamond Harbour, it was 54.9 per cent, a poll official stated.
Voting in these two assembly constituencies was held in the second phase of the state elections on April 29.
The repoll order was based on reports received from returning officers and observers of the two constituencies and "material circumstances", the Election Commission official said.
In Magrahat Paschim, TMC's Md Samim Ahamed Molla is pitted against BJP nominee Goursundar Ghosh, while Abdul Majid Halder of the Congress and ISF candidate Abdul Aziz Al Hassan are also in the fray.
TMC candidate Panna Lal Halder is contesting against Dipak Kumar Halder of the BJP in the Diamond Harbour seat. Goutam Bhattacharya of the Congress and CPI(M)'s Samar Naiya are among other candidates.
The BJP had alleged rampant electoral malpractices in certain polling stations of both the assembly seats under the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency, which is represented by TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
The EC had deputed its special observer, Subrata Gupta, to fact-check the allegations from the ground.
The poll panel will decide on repolling in the Falta assembly constituency on Saturday.
The West Bengal assembly elections were held in two phases -- April 23 and April 29 -- amid unprecedented security arrangements.
Counting of votes will take place on May 4.
