Goemkarponn Desk
Panaji: As Goa continues to grapple with a sharp and continuous surge in COVID cases, the State government has decided to extend the Tika Utsav (Vaccine Festival) from April 11 to April 20 and if need arises till April 30, to ensure that everyone above the age of 45 years get vaccinated.
The Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant and BJP State President Sadanand Shet Tanavade today held a meeting with all its MLAs, Mandal heads, councilors, panch members and office bearers, directing them to create massive awareness on the Tika Utsav, to be launched at village-level, so that everyone above 45 years, irrespective of co-morbid condition or not, get vaccinated.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said states should hold a ‘Tika Utsav’ from April 11 to April 14 to ensure optimum utilisation of their Covid-19 vaccination capability. Speaking at a virtual review meeting with chief ministers over the nationwide surge in the viral infection, PM Modi said as many eligible people as possible should be vaccinated in all states as part of this festival.
On this line, State government will launch special vaccination drives on April 10 at Reis-Magos, Mandrem, Socorro, Varkhand, Velgue, Lolayem and Collem while on April 11 it will be held at Pilerne, Penha De Franca, Pirna, Thane, Nagargao, Nachinola, Morjim, Narve, Oxel, Merces, Korgao, Pale, and Poinguinim. On April 12, the dive is scheduled at Parra.
Emerging from the meeting, the Chief Minister said that all the MLAs, Sarpanch and Panch members are asked to create maximum awareness in their panchayat areas and rope in young volunteers to reach out to all the beneficiaries during the Utsav.
He said that the drive is currently restricted only to Panchayat areas pending elections in five Municipalities. “We will extend the date of Utsav till April 20 and if required will take it upto April 30,” Sawant said.
The BJP-led government is all out to fight COVID without disturbing the economy and livelihood. Apart from these special drives, regular vaccination programmes will continue across all the public and community health centers.