Naina Mishra

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 7

After the UT quotes the projected population of Chandigarh from six different sources, the Centre finally agrees to revise the vaccination target population of the city from 15 lakh to over seven lakh.

UT Adviser Dharam Pal confirmed that the Centre had finally agreed to correct the figures. “We had discussed the issue with the Secretary, Health, Government of India, and he has agreed to correct the figures,” said the Adviser.

Pal had also written to Dr Manohar Agnani, Additional Secretary, Government of India, requesting him to revise the target population of the UT for the Covid vaccination (above 18 years age group) to 7,29,822 from 15,75,709 as mentioned by the Centre.

In the letter, the UT Adviser had cited six different sources as per which the population of Chandigarh was between 11,00,000 to 12,15,000.

“As per the 2011 Census, population of Chandigarh was 10,55,450. Considering the decadal growth of 17.2 per cent, it will be approximately 12,36,987 in 2021. And 18 years above population is approximately 7,29,822 (59 per cent of the total population),” read the letter.

It was also mentioned in the letter that as per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the mid-year population of the UT as on October 1, 2020 was 12,02,000. Also, according to the Rural Health Statistics 2019-20, the city’s population was 11,98,000.

As per the Election Commission of India, the total population of Chandigarh in 2021 is 12,05,443, while the Projected Census Population in age cohort (above 18 years) is 8,98,448.

The letter further read, “Keeping in view the mentioned data, it is evident that the target population – above 18 years – is not 15,75,709. The target population of Chandigarh for Covid vaccination may be revised to 7,29,822.”

Recently, the ministry had tabled a report on vaccination coverage (with regard to the first dose) in the Lok Sabha as per which Chandigarh’s coverage stood at only 33 per cent due to erroneous target set by the Centre.

Chandigarh has so far administered first dose to 94 per cent of the target population, while 29.84 per cent population has received the second also. Only 43,740 people are remaining to be vaccinated for the first dose.