Amarinder meets health minister, seeks increase in Covid vaccines for Punjab

The chief minister, during his meeting with the health minister, sought the supply of 55 lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine on a priority basis for his state. Responding to Singh's request for more vaccines in view of the forthcoming festival season, the minister ordered an immediate increase of 25 per cent in the state's supplies, the chief minister's office claimed. 

Assuring all help, Mandaviya also told Singh that while supplies would ease from the next month, he would fulfil the state's requirement by October 31, the statement said. 

The chief minister said with sufficient supplies, the state government could arrange to vaccinate 5-7 lakh people daily. 

He pointed out that allocation of vaccines for Punjab for the month of August currently stood at only 20,47,060 doses of Covishield, while around 26 lakh doses were required just for those whose second dose was overdue. Citing data, Singh said Punjab has relatively very less allocation of vaccines, hence very low per capita vaccination, as compared to other states, and there needs to be an increase in allotment to cover more population and catch up with the others, the statement said. Punjab has been witnessing a rapid rise in Covid cases once again. As of August 7, Haryana's per capita vaccination stands at 35.2, Delhi's at 39.4, J&K's at 43.7, Himachal Pradesh's at 62.0 and Rajasthan's at 35.1, as against 27.1 for Punjab, the state government claimed. 

Singh also urged Mandaviya to favourably consider Punjab's request for setting up a Bulk Drug Park at Bathinda. Maldaviya is also the chemicals and fertilizers minister. 

The state government had applied in October 2020 to set up the park over 1,320 acre of land at Bathinda. 

During the meeting, the chief minister also reiterated his government's demand for enhanced allocation of DAP stocks to Punjab, as per the revised demand by the state. Suppliers should be directed to ensure that adequate supplies are given as per schedule, he told the minister, reiterating the points he had raised on Tuesday during his meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. 

The timely availability of DAP would greatly help in reducing panic buying and black marketing, which bring a bad name to both the state and central governments, Singh said.