E-Paper
Bihar cabinet gives nod to free Covid-19 vaccine
Ahead of the state election while releasing the BJP’s manifesto, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman had on October 22 said the people of Bihar would be given free vaccines against Covid-19 once it was available for production on a mass scale.
The Bihar cabinet on Tuesday approved free vaccination of coronavirus disease (Covid -19) in the state as and when it is available, keeping in line with the poll promise of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the recently concluded state assembly elections.
The BJP is the senior partner in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in the state.
Also Read: Wedding halls, polling booths in Covid-19 vaccine plan
Confirming the development, deputy chief minister Tarkishore Prasad said: “ We have decided to carry free inoculation of vaccines against Covid-19 to every resident of the state as it was a foremost promise of the BJP and also the NDA. Our decision is a big gift to people of the state after the formation of the government. We feel, Bihar’s biggest strength is its human resource and we want them to be protected against the deadly disease as the world is battling with the pandemic.”
Former deputy CM and Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Modi, said : “The decision of the state cabinet to provide free vaccines against Covid-19 to entire population of Bihar is a welcome decision. I feel other states should emulate it. The BJP in its manifesto had promised to provide free vaccines knowing well how in Bihar only a small section of populace could afford it at market prices. Once the vaccines comes, the front line workers, police personnel and those above 50 would be given the doses in a phase wise manner,” he said.
Ahead of the state election while releasing the BJP’s manifesto, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman had on October 22 said the people of Bihar would be given free vaccines against Covid-19 once it was available for production on a mass scale.
Also Read| 100 people per session, electoral rolls, mobile sites: Centre’s Covid-19 vaccine guidelines
Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, water resources minister and senior JD(U) leader, said, “Free vaccines is a desirable step and it would help the people of the state to get protected. Our government is committed in providing health needs to the people and free inoculation is a step in that direction for public welfare.”
Opposition did not comment on the development.
The free vaccine promise had kicked up a political storm with opposition parties saying that linking public health to elections was a “degeneration of politics”.
Rashtriya Janata Dal Rajya Sabha member Manoj Jha had said,“It is unfortunate if vaccine for a pandemic becomes a part of a manifesto and a poll issue,” said
The cabinet on Tuesday also approved the implementation of all programmes under Atma Nirbhar Bihar, Saat Nischai (seven resolves) and approved 14 other agendas, according to a press release issued by cabinet secretariat department.
Free Covid-19 vaccine is one of the many components of the seven resolve programme.
According to a statement issued by the government after the cabinet meeting, these measures are expected to create “20 lakh new jobs in government and private sectors”.
