Vaccination "Responsibility" Of Centre: Punjab Chief Minister Writes To PM

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, in a letter to PM Modi, said the centre should be the single agency for the procurement and distribution of COVID-19 vaccine for those in the age group of 18-44.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make the Union government as the single agency for the procurement and distribution of COVID-19 vaccine for people in the age group of 18-44. "Vaccination of the entire eligible population, especially in a pandemic situation, is the responsibility of the central government as any non-inclusion can undermine the rest of the collective effort," the chief minister said in a letter to the PM. Citing the experience of the past three weeks when various states "have been making their individual efforts to source the vaccine from domestic producers as well as from abroad", the chief minister said the Centre should immediately undertake sourcing of all vaccines as a single agency for those in the age group of 18-44. The Centre should ensure vaccine distribution across all states and union territories through clinical establishment for proper vaccination of the age group, a statement quoting Mr Singh said.