PRIME Minister Mr. Narendra Modi delivered a master-stroke when he announced to the nation that the Central Government would take over the entire handling of vaccination and ensure that free dosage would be available to all Indians above the age of 18 years. Of course, Mr. Narendra Modi also declared continuation of foodgrain supply to 80 crore poor Indians under the special Prime Minister’s Programme, as was done for eight months previously when first lockdown was announced more than a year ago. But most critical part of the Prime Minister’s announcement was the decision to withdraw from the States even the 25 per cent component of vaccination so that all possibilities of mismanagement would be eliminated.

 

Though the States would never like it, the Centre has delivered a tight slap to them. This component was handed over to the States only after they started clamouring for it, in the process heaping politically-driven accusations on the Centre. But when the Centre really handed over 25% component of vaccination drive to the States, they bungled -- may be out of inefficiency or out of political spite to bring the Centre in disrepute. It is because of this that the Centre has now taken over the entire vaccination programme so that the States would have no opportunity to mess up with public health out of political spite. If this is not a tight slap on the States, then what is? -- may we ask! It was most unfortunate that many States governed by the non-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) political parties used vaccination drive as a political tool to malign the image of the Centre under Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi’s leadership. Initial statistics now available in public domain have exposed the gross inefficiency of the States whose administrations have shockingly high percentages of the vaccine supplies unadministered to the people of their respective jurisdiction. In Maharashtra, for example, the State administration had left as many as 81 lakh vaccine doses unadministered out of the total supplies of 1.43 crore.

 

In Chhattisgarh, the State administration did not administer as many as 24 lakh doses out the total supplies of 43 lakh vaccines. In Rajasthan, the number of unadministered doses totalled up to 1.03 crore out of the total supplies of 1.60 crore. In most States, similar statistical details have come up in initial computations, thereby compelling the Centre to take control of the entire vaccination drive. The Prime Minister was, of course, prompt to communicate to the nation that a monitoring machinery, too, is being put in place to ensure proper handling of the nationwide free vaccination drive. This new move will definitely benefit the common people of India in a big way in terms of health security in the face of coronavirus pandemic. Most naturally, the Central Government led by Mr. Narendra Modi will get much of the credit for all the good work, and keep the States out of the ambit of popular appreciation on that count. In a way, thus, the States allowed a good opportunity of genuine and apolitical public service to slip out of their grip. Mr. Narendra Modi, naturally, saw an opportunity in the States inefficiency to climb higher in public esteem. Mr. Modi’s address to the nation was an endearing exercise in openness and honest communication.

 

He explained all the steps that his Government has taken in the past some time in terms of critical medical supplies such as medical-grade oxygen, or Remdesivir injections or anti-COVID-19 vaccines.He also showcased his Government’s performance in the global arena when the world fought hard to defeat the coronavirus pandemic. Very convincingly, he told the people how India played a critical part in the global action against the pandemic. Mr. Modi’s address to the nation brought to fore another reality that honest efforts will always win people’s appreciation and not any politically-driven games of cheating and lie-telling indulged in by the Opposition parties. That speech was an example of good oratory, and an honest communication whose strength the Opposition parties do not possess, no matter their political tall talk. A master-stroke!