Minister Criticises BJP’s Silence On Free COVID-19 Vaccination In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Food Supplies Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain on Sunday criticised two Union Ministers from Odisha for remaining silent on their party’s stand in the state on free COVID-19 vaccination as promised by BJP in its election manifsto in Bihar.

Swain said state BJP leaders’ silence on the matter proves that it is another election jumla of the BJP before the Bihar polls. “The two Union Ministers should clarify the stand of BJP about Covid-19 vaccine delivery, distribution in Odisha. People of Odisha want the answer,” Swain wrote in his Twitter handle.

On the state government’s steps for vaccination, the BJD leader said it has signed an agreement with a vaccine producer and is committed to extend the facility to all people of the state.

He, however, did not reveal whether it would be free of cost or not.

In his reaction to the remarks, BJP’s deputy leader Bishnu Sethi said the Centre has been supporting fully to Odisha during the pandemic and granted Rs 22,000 crore for the purpose. But large scale lapses have been detected in the utilisation of the fund, he alleged.