KOLKATA:
CM Mamata Banerjee
on Wednesday wrote to
PM Narendra Modi saying that her government wants to buy vaccines to inoculate the state’s entire population for free and that he should take up the matter with “appropriate” authorities to let
Bengal
procure enough doses from “designated point(s) on top priority”.
The CM also said that while “election-going” Bengal is required to reach out to government and parastatal employees to make the polls safe, the “worrying point” is that “people in general will be forced to go to the polling stations without any vaccination coverage”.
“We feel it is equally important to reach out to them with rapid vaccination programme immediately for the interest and well-being of all concerned with the election process,” the CM wrote, adding that “under the circumstances” her government has decided “to procure adequate number of vaccines for the members of public”.
She added that the vaccination programme in Bengal was rolling out “in right earnest”.
Banerjee had earlier repeatedly said that Bengal wants to buy vaccines for its entire 10 crore population and questioned the Centre’s decision of not allowing the states any leeway. She had also questioned why states can’t have the choice to “select” the best
vaccine
for its people.
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