Indicating possibility of an early arrival of Covid-19 vaccine in Odisha, BJD MP Chandra Sekhar Sahu said in the all-party meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday that the ruling party demanded that the Centre ensure availability of the vaccine in the State on a priority basis.
Following the meeting, the Brahmapur MP said the State Government also demanded that the Centre ensure that Odisha takes part in the vaccination programme in the first place once it begins at the national level.
The BJD put forth two proposals: prioritising Covid-19 vaccination programme at the national level and preparation of database from the grassroots level, he said.
Sahu said that Modi briefed everyone in the meeting about the status of development of the vaccine by various firms that he reviewed recently. “The Centre has asked all States to make taskforces ready for smooth conduct of the vaccination programme; and the Odisha Government has said that we are all prepared for the same,” he said.
“The PM hailed the Odisha Government’s support to the migrants, who had returned from other States, during the lockdown,” Sahu said.