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Goa CM Pramod Sawant doubles down on 100% vaccination claim after Oppn barbs
Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant said the state has administered 11.88 lakh people with the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine as against an eligible population of 11.66 lakh people.
PANAJI: Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday responded to barbs from the opposition over his recent announcement that the state has been able to achieve 100 per cent vaccination of its adult population with at least one dose, saying that this figure had since then risen to 102 per cent.
“Altogether there are 11.66 lakh persons eligible for vaccination in Goa. Till date, we have vaccinated 11.88 lakh people. We have, in fact, covered 102 per cent vaccination of the first dose,” Sawant said at a press conference on Wednesday.
On Friday last, the chief minister declared that the state had achieved 100 per cent coverage for the first dose, prompting a congratulatory message tweeted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who attributed the feat to the “collective spirit and the prowess of our doctors as well as innovators”.
The opposition, however, was not convinced and rushed to punch holes into the claim, underlining that more than 1,000 people were still getting their first dose every day.
Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat called the claim “one more lie”, saying the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-led government has also claimed in the past that the state was “open defecation free” and that every household is connected with tap water.
On Wednesday, Sawant brushed aside the criticism.
“There are many who refuse to take the vaccine. There are others who are yet to complete 90 days from having tested positive, but on the other hand, there are migrant labourers, foreigners, etc. who have taken the vaccine here,” the chief minister said.
He added that “if we wait until everyone has taken the vaccine, then we will never reach 100%.”
Sawant added that on September 18, PM Narendra Modi will interact with Goa health officials, beneficiaries, health department workers, cabinet ministers, panchayat and members of the public to congratulate them on 100 per cent completion of the first dose of vaccination.
The chief minister also announced that the state will launch a fresh version of Tika Utsav 3.2 on September 16 to encourage people to take their second dose of the vaccine. Goa aims to achieve 100% vaccination with the second dose by October 31.
