NEW DELHI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday interacted with Governors and Lieutenant Governors of all States and Union Territories regarding the Covid-19 situation and ongoing vaccination drive in the country.
Addressing via video conferencing, the Prime Minister said that in the battle against Covid, along with the vaccines, values and a sense of duty are the biggest strengths. Praising citizens who contributed to reining in the pandemic last year considering it as their duty, he said that the same feeling of “Janbhagidari” needs to be encouraged now as well.
“Governors are an important link to ensure better coordination between state governments and society,” he said, adding that the combined power of all community organizations, political parties, NGOs and social institutions needs to be harnessed.
Modi said that along with spreading the message about vaccination and treatment, the Governors can also spread awareness about AYUSH-related remedies. Noting that the youth, country’s workforce, is an important part of economy, the Prime Minister said it is important to ensure that youth follow all Covid related protocols and precautions.
Discussing the ongoing surge in Covid cases, the Prime Minister said that the country has gained from last year’s experience and improved healthcare capacity. He discussed about increasing RT-PCR testing capacity and noted that the country has become Aatmanirbhar with respect to kits and other material related to testing. The Prime Minister emphasised the significance of increasing tracking, tracing and testing, and said that RT-PCR testing needs to be increased from 60% to 70%.
PM Modi said that the government is committed to ensuring adequate availability of vaccines. He highlighted that India has become the fastest nation to reach the landmark of 10 crore vaccinations. Noting the positive impact of Tika Utsav in the last four days, he said that in this period, the vaccination drive was expanded and new vaccination centres also came up. Apart from Governors and Lieutenant Governors, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, Home Minister Amit Shah and Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan also attended the interaction.
The Vice President appreciated the scientific community’s contribution in giving vaccines to India and the whole world. He also talked about the contribution of healthcare workers, sanitation workers, and other frontline workers who have played a vital role during the pandemic.