Mamata Banerjee Writes To PM Modi Over Vaccine Shortage; Offers Land For Manufacturing Covid Jabs

"Liberal, proactive and discerning import of vaccination is the paramount need today," the Chief Minister wrote.

(Images: File Photo/ PTI)

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging speedy import of Coronavirus vaccine from global manufacturers. In her letter, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo also asked PM to bring in ‘liberal, pro-active and discerning' import of vaccines in the country.

"Production of vaccines in the country is extremely inadequate... Globally, there are many manufacturers now... it is possible to identify the reputed and authentic manufacturers and speedily import vaccines from them from different parts of the world," she said in her letter. 

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"Liberal, proactive and discerning import of vaccination is the paramount need today," the Chief Minister wrote.

In her letter, Banerjee also said that Bengal government is ready to provide land and all the required support for manufacturing Covid-19 vaccines. She also proposed that world players could also be encouraged to open up franchise operations in India.

Below is the copy Mamata Banerjee's letter to PM Modi

"You are kindly aware that as per experts, vaccination is now the real antidote to the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic. It seems, however, that the production (and hence the supply and distribution) of the vaccines in the country is extremely inadequate and significant in the context of the massive needs of the people at large," TMC boss said pointing out that people in West Bengal and across the country need vaccination as only a "microscopic percentage" has been covered.

Mamata's letter to Prime Minister comes at a time when West Bengal, just like other states of the country, is witnessing a significant surge in daily Coronavirus cases- especially after the state conducted Assembly polls, which was termed to be a super-spreader event by critics.

After TMC swept the Assembly polls on May 2, Banerjee took the oath as the Chief Minister for the third straight term on May 4. After taking over the office, she announced a series of measures to contain the spread of virus. However, the death toll too started to climb significantly from that day.

State's health department data states that two districts in West Bengal -- Kolkata and North 24 Parganas – have cumulatively reported more than 50 per cent of the total deaths caused by Covid-19 in the state since May 1.