PM Modi to interact with chief ministers on COVID situation, vaccination drive on Wednesday

PTI, Mar 16, 2021, 10:22 AM IST

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with chief ministers on the COVID-19 situation and the ongoing vaccination drive on Wednesday as the Centre looks to ramp up the inoculation exercise amid a rise in infection in some states.

Official sources said Modi will hold a video conference to discuss the issues with chief ministers, an exercise which he has been holding regularly since the outbreak of the pandemic.

Modi’s last interaction with chief ministers was in January before the vaccination roll-out. He had announced that the Centre will bear the expenses of vaccinating nearly three crore healthcare and frontline workers in the first round and suggested that public representatives, a reference to politicians, should not be part of this initial exercise.

The drive has now moved on to next round to cover people over 60 years of age, and those aged above 45 years and having comorbidities.