NT NETWORK

Margao

Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat, on Wednesday, called on the state government to undertake effective COVID vaccination drives in the state, and to begin work on revival of the economy in the state before it was too late.

In a press statement issued here, Kamat termed the handling of the COVID situation in the state as poor.

“It is most unfortunate that the irresponsible attitude of the BJP government at Centre has resulted in total chaos with regards to COVID pandemic handling and management in the country. If the BJP government had listened to the voice and valuable suggestions of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the COVID situation would have been different today. I once again appeal to the state government to show sensitivity towards people, stop organising utsavs to grab political mileage and work on an effective COVID vaccination programme, taking all into confidence and also work on a revival of the economy before it’s too late,” he stated.

Kamat pointed out that Gandhi had warned the government 41 days before India was shut down last year, demanding timely action, and added that the coronavirus was an extremely serious threat to the people and the economy.

“Gandhi repeatedly gave various suggestions to the government on handling COVID pandemic. His latest demand to the Prime Minister to give approvals to other COVID vaccines was ridiculed by Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. Fortunately, better sense prevailed and the Modi government gave approval to Russian vaccine Sputnik V for emergency use in India. The BJP government must come out of the celebration mode and accept seven demands made by Rahul Gandhi in his letter to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 9th April 2021,” he said.

The demands include financial support to vaccine manufacturers to ramp up production, halting the export of COVID-19 vaccines, fast-track approval for other vaccine candidates, universal vaccination, doubling of central allocation for vaccine procurement, larger role for states in procuring and distributing vaccines and income support for vulnerable sections of the society affected by the coronavirus pandemic.