‘Want to vaccinate Bengal free of cost’: Mamata writes to PM Modi, seeks help in procuring vaccine
"Bengal govt has decided to procure adequate number of vaccines. We would request you to kindly take up the matter with appropriate authority, so that State Government is able to purchase the vaccines on top priority, because we want to provide vaccination free of cost to all the people," Banerjee wrote.
New Delhi: In the run-up to Assembly polls in West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought help in procuring the vaccine so that the entire state could be vaccinated free of cost.
A rapid vaccination programme is needed immediately for the interests of health and well-being of all concerned, Banerjee said in a letter to Modi.
In the letter, Mamata further wrote: “We have embarked upon the COVID vaccination programme in right earnest. All the health workers, police workers, municipal workers, revenue workers and frontline workers are being covered by COVID vaccination at a rapid pace.”
“In fact, West Bengal being an election-going state, we are required to reach out practically to every government and para-statal employee on an
urgent basis to make the election safe,” she added.
The West Bengal Chief Minister highlighted the concern that people will be forced to go to polling stations without any vaccination coverage, stating that a rapid vaccination programme is needed to reach out to them in the interest of health and well-being of all concerned with the election process.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee writes to PM Narendra Modi, seeking his help in procurement of COVID-19 vaccines by the state govt to vaccinate everyone free of cost. “West Bengal Govt has decided to procure adequate number of vaccines for members of public at large,” she writes. pic.twitter.com/QOW8v8q4J0
— ANI (@ANI) February 24, 2021
“Under the circumstances, Government of West Bengal has decided to procure adequate number of vaccines for the members of the public at large. We would request you to kindly take up the matter with appropriate authority, so that 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,” Banerjee wrote further.
Election to the 294-member West Bengal assembly is due in April-May.
According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), currently, at least 8 lakh health workers and frontline workers have been vaccinated in the state.