Goa's 90 pc population given one dose of COVID-19 vaccine says CM Pramod Sawant

Amid the ongoing vaccination drive against COVID-19 in the country, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant claimed that Goa has become the first state in the country to give one dose of COVID-19 vaccine to 90 per cent of its eligible population. He said in his address on 75th Independence on Sunday.

Panaji: Goa has become the first state in the country to give one dose of COVID-19 vaccine to 90 per cent of its eligible population, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant claimed in his Independence Day address here on Sunday. Sawant also announced that people of the state will get 16,000 litres of tap water free per month from next month and said he is confident that the first of the upcoming Mopa International Airport will be commissioned on August 15 next year.

Referring to the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination drive, he said the entire eligible population in the coastal state with get the first dose soon. I am proud to announce that Goa has become the first state to cover 90 per cent of its population with the first dose, Sawant said during a state-level function in the state capital Panaji. He said the state fought the pandemic ably due to the efforts of frontline workers and COVID-19 warriors, who were on the field during the outbreak of the disease, he said.
The state government continued with all the social welfare schemes during the pandemic, he added.

Referring to the upcoming Mopa International airport, he said, "We are confident that the first phase of this project would be commissioned on August 15, 2022 at the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi." Sawant also said that from September 1 onwards, Goans will get 16,000 litres of tap water free of cost per month. He also assured that his government will not compromise on the issue of the inter-state Mahadayi river water dispute. We will not stop till we win the battle on the Mahadayi issue, he said. Goa and Karnataka are locked in a dispute over sharing of the river's water, considered as the lifeline of Goa.

In his address, Sawant also lauded the Indian athletes who won medals during recently held Olympic Games in Tokyo. He said the BJP government in the state was setting up new milestones in infrastructure development and social welfare schemes since 2012. Development of people has been the core of governance during the BJP-led dispensation's tenure, he said, adding that thrust is also given to honing skills as part of the academic curriculum. The CM also said that organic clusters have been developed in Goa by including 12,000 farmers into it. "E-krishi activities have been launched to reach out to farmers through digitalisation, he added. Sawant said this year, 6,571 farmers were paid subsidy of Rs 33 crore as part of the "white revolution" in the state. He also said the 'Swacch Bharat Mission-Gramin' scheme will be launched in the state with effect from Sunday.

PTI