Team Herald
PANJIM: Goa is playing a very important role in the success of the world’s largest and fastest vaccination drive – ‘Sabko vaccine, muft vaccine’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a virtual interaction with COVID-19 warriors and beneficiaries on Saturday. He added that Goa’s vaccine wastage prevention model will help other parts of the country.
Modi hailed the leadership of Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant and congratulated the healthcare workers for achieving 100 per cent vaccination of the adult population in the State. “In the past few months, Goa fought tirelessly against heavy rainfall, cyclone and flood under the leadership of Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant,” the Prime Minister said.
During the interaction, he sought to know from COVID-19 warriors and beneficiaries their experiences, inquired about the challenges faced by them and also appreciated them for their efforts.
The Prime Minister also mentioned that India has given priority to the States, which are tourism based and it is important to reopen tourism destinations. Amidst all these efforts, Goa reaching a target of 100 per cent of first dose of COVID-19 vaccination is very important, he said. He added that to revive the tourism sector, Goa plays a very important role and that when everybody is vaccinated, people will feel safe to travel to that destination.
The Prime Minister also recalled former Chief Minister late Manohar Parrikar. “Had he been alive, he would have been proud of the achievement of the State,” Modi said, adding, “Parrikar’s legacy of progress has been successfully taken forward by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.”
India administered the largest vaccination dose on Friday with over 2.5 crore vaccinations as a part of a special drive to mark the Prime Minister’s 71st birthday.
Modi said, “I want to speak my ‘Man ki baat’. Yesterday (September 17) was very much emotional day for me. There are various ways to celebrate birthdays. Because of your efforts, yesterday became a very important day for me. Warriors who are tirelessly helping fellow countrymen to fight with Coronavirus created a record yesterday.”
Sawant briefed the Prime Minister about the status of the vaccination drive in the State. Union Health Minister Bharti Pawar, Union Minister of State for Tourism and Ports, Shripad Naik, Deputy Chief Ministers Chandrakant Kavlekar and Manohar Ajgaonkar, along with all other Ministers, MLAs, Zilla Panchayat (ZP) and village panchayat members were also present for the virtual interaction.
