Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, May 30: Even as the prime minister Narendra Modi on Sunday counted as a “success” of his government India’s grim fight against the Coronavirus, the centre attempted to allay the apprehensions over the slow pace of vaccination in the country claiming that nearly 12 crore doses of Covid vaccines would be available in June for the immunisation exercise.
This would be a 50 per cent jump from the allocation in May when a total of nearly 8 crore doses were available to states and Union Territories, the union health ministry said.
Even as the ruling BJP decided to tone down under the shadow of the pandemic the celebrations for the seventh anniversary of the Modi government having assumed office on this day in 2014, the prime minister used his monologue of monthly radio talk “Mann ki Baat” to drum-beat the “successes” of his government claiming that in most of the spheres performance of his government in the last seven years were many times better than the combined achievements of all the governments in the last 70 years in the country.
“Several people from various places have been writing in to thank the nation for their village having finally received power and road connection after 70 years of independence,” Modi claimed.
He claimed that in seven decades since independence, only 3.5 crore rural homes had water connections; yet, in the past 21 months of his governance, 4.5 crore more families had been added to this category.
“So many people…thank the nation for their sons and daughters being able to sit and study under electric lights and fans. So many people say that ‘our village, too, is now connected to the city through a good road’,” he said.
Highlighting the achievements of the seven years since he took power, he referred to them as laurels belonging to the country and his countrymen. “The achievements of the past seven years have been those of the nation’s and its people. Together, we have experienced so many moments of national pride, we are on the right track,” Modi said.
“Our confidence grows when India strongly answers those who try to conspire against it,” he said. “India now moves ahead not under the pressure of other countries but with its own convictions,” he asserted, saying it makes everyone proud.
“When we witness that now India gives a befitting reply to those who conspire against us, then our confidence soars. When India does not compromise on the issues of national security, when the strength of our armed forces increases, we feel that yes, we are on the right path,” Mr. Modi said.
He also said when India resolved its own age-old quagmires like Article 370 and Ayodhya, refuses to compromise on its security interests and when its forces grow in strength, the country feels it is on the right track.
Modi said there had been many successes along with trials too especially the COVID-19 pandemic which has hit lives hard across the country and dealt a blow to economy. He expressed confidence that India would prevail over the virus.
He also spoke of the massive second wave of the pandemic that has hit India and the effort and resolve it took to take India’s oxygen production and supply from 900 metric tonnes to 9,000 metric tonnes in a matter of days.
“No one had had the experience of dealing with this once in a century pandemic, but Indians across the country on the strength of their resolve and confidence are fighting the pandemic and together we shall prevail over the virus,” he said.
Modi spoke to corona warriors including oxygen express driver Shirsha Gajhini and Air Force pilot group captain Patnaik who had been transporting oxygen and tankers across the country and from offshore to India.
In these seven years, India had worked to show the world a new direction in digital transactions, and it is also setting records in launching satellites and constructing roads, Modi said.
India has overcome many difficult tests as well, and each time it emerged stronger, he said. “In the form of the corona pandemic, we are being continuously put to test. This is a crisis that has plagued the whole world. So many people have lost their loved ones. Even big countries were not spared from its devastation,” he said.
Meanwhile, the health ministry giving details of the vaccine doses in the coming months said about 6.09 crore doses would be supplied for free to states and Union Territories in June for the vaccination of healthcare workers, frontline workers and those aged over 45 years. Another 5.86 crore shots would be available for direct procurement by states, Union Territories and private hospitals.
“Therefore, in June 2021 close to 12 crore (11,95,70,000) doses will be available for the national COVID vaccination programme,” the ministry said. In the current month, more than 4.03 crore free doses were provided to the states while more than 3.90 crore doses were available for direct procurement by states and private hospitals.
The ministry said states have been informed about the availability of vaccines for June well in advance and a delivery schedule would also be shared with them.
“The allocation of Govt. of India supplies to States/UTs is decided on the consumption pattern, population and vaccine wastage. Visibility for availability of vaccines for the entire month of June 2021 has been provided well in advance to States/UTs by Union Government as communicated to States and UTs vide letters of Union Health Ministry dated 17th May 2021, 27th May 2021 and 29th May 2021,” the release said.
“The delivery schedule for this allocation will be shared in advance. States have been requested to direct the concerned officials to ensure rational and judicious utilization of allocated doses and minimize the vaccine wastage,” it added.
The ministry said the objective behind informing the states and Union Territories about the number of free doses to be provided by the centre and the number of doses available for direct procurement is to ensure better planning and delivery.
The ministry’s advice to minimise wastage comes against the backdrop of several states disputing the vaccine wastage data released by the ministry earlier this month. Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, which were the biggest vaccine wasters as per the ministry’s data, had disputed the numbers and questioned the intention behind releasing, what they claimed, “wrong data.” The BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh too has disputed the wastage figures put out by the government.