Ahead of the next phase of the Covid-19 vaccination drive in the country, which is scheduled to begin from May 1, Maharashtra cabinet minister and senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat said that he will donate his one-year salary to Chief Minister relief fund for the fight against COVID-19.
He said that Covid has taken a serious form and we have implemented strict rules but the role of vaccine is important in all this. Congress President Sonia Gandhi has demanded to provide free vaccine for all, so yesterday all the three parties together decided to give free vaccine.
"The vaccine is going to cost a lot. So I have decided to give my one-year salary to the Chief Minister relief fund. The other Congress leaders, who are members of the Legislative Assembly and members of the Legislative Council, will be giving one month's salary, the Youth Congress will also contribute to it," said Maharashtra Congress President.
The Maharashtra government joined several states to announce that it would be providing free Covid-19 vaccines to all citizens in the state aged between 18-44 years.
He said that inoculating all above 18 years is a big challenge while adding that "we are also under pressure, but we will use the vaccine that is made available to us."
"We are hearing about the third wave and we need more and more vaccines first. I think if the vaccine doses are given then the impact of the third wave will be less," said Balasaheb Thorat.
Taking about Y category security to CEO of Serum Institute of India Adar Poonawalla he said that Poonawalla is an international level person and he doesn't think that there is any relation between giving him Y security and cutting the cost of the vaccine.
Speaking on the impact of COVID situation on West Bengal assembly elections, he said, "The central government was looking at the covid and the farmers protest in the same way and the impact of this will be something to see in the West Bengal election."
( With inputs from ANI )
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