PUDUCHERRY: The Puducherry administration has set a target of cent per cent vaccination of all its people by August 15.
At a virtual consultative meeting chaired by Lt Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan from Hyderabad on Monday, she said that six villages in Puducherry and four villages in Karaikal District have achieved the distinction of inoculating 100 per cent of their 45 plus population. "I have a letter appraising Hon'ble Prime Minister of this distinction," she said.
However, she said that the administration should not be contended with this achievement as there is a long distance to go and the initiative should be carried forward to other zones.
"The following week should be observed as 'Intensive Vaccination Week' to promote inoculation which should be promoted by self-help groups and village leaders. Special camps would be organised in rural areas and elsewhere with the assistance of the District Rural Development Agency and community leaders in villages must be made active partners for the promotion of vaccination drive," the Lt Governor said.
"The Disaster Management department should allocate funds to incentivize Self-Help Groups that create greater awareness and mobilize people for vaccination, Within a week, cent per cent of the UT's health workers should be vaccinated and also ensure that the JIPMER hospital staff is 100 per cent vaccinated," she added.
Secretaries will send circulars to the departments under their purview to the effect that officers and staff should be vaccinated. Circulars would also be sent to private organisations associated or linked with government departments.
She said that the Department of Education may also send SMS to teachers, staff and Parents-Teachers Associations in colleges and schools under its control.
"The Department of Health should formulate a scheme to vaccinate brides and bridegrooms married to Puducherry residents. Students and workers of other States in Puducherry also to be brought under vaccine coverage. Pragmatic solutions need to be conceptualised to overcome practical problems in achieving 100 per cent vaccination," she said.
The factory and traders should expedite the injection of the vaccine for their workers in 15 more days. Those who have been vaccinated may be offered business, lockdown relaxations and some incentives in all respects.
The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Ashwani Kumar, Finance secretary Ashok Kumar, Health secretary Dr Arun, Collector Purva Garg, Industrial Secretary E Vallavan, Public Works secretary Vikrant Raja, Rural Development Secretary Ravi Prakash, JIPMER director Rakesh Agarwal and other seniors officials.