Mamata to participate in Modi's video meet on Covid vaccine on Tue

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will participate in a video conference of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Covid vaccine on Tuesday amidst her district tour of Bankura.

According to sources, the Prime Minister will be holding a video conference with all Chief Ministers on Tuesday and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will also be participating in the same.

This video conference becomes crucial when the Centre claims that the Covid vaccine will be available in the next three to four months when at least 400 to 500 million vaccine doses will be made available for 25 to 30 crore people. At the same time, health workers and elderly people above 65 years will be given the vaccine on priority. Modi also reviewed the strategy of vaccine distribution on Friday.

It was on August 10 when Banerjee interacted for the last time during a video conference with 10 states over Covid situation. She had then requested the Prime Minister to allow unconditional borrowing under the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act for one year to fight against COVID-19 pandemic besides clearing the hefty amount that the Centre owes to the state.

If everything goes as planned, Banerjee will be attending the video conference from Bankura itself. The video conference with the Prime Minister on the pandemic situation and Covid vaccine is scheduled to take place from 12.30 pm on Tuesday. On the same day, at 2:30 pm Banerjee will be holding the administrative review meeting of the district at Rabindra Bhawan in Bankura Town.

In the district's administrative review meeting, she will be taking stock of all the ongoing development projects. Bankura has gained immense popularity as a tourism destination. She is likely to take stock of the development projects undertaken for the tourism sector besides addressing the issues related to the development of Jangalmahal along with a permanent solution for a constant supply of safe drinking water at all households in the drought-prone district. Senior officers including Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay will be present in the review meeting besides the district administration. MLAs from the district will also be attending the same.

Banerjee has already reached Bankura on Sunday. She will be holding the first public distribution programme, since the advent of Covid situation, at Sidhu Kanu Ground at Khatra Subdivision in Bankura on Monday from 1 pm. During her administrative review meeting with all districts from Nabanna a few weeks ago, Banerjee had directed all district magistrates to make all arrangements so that the distribution programmes can be held during her visit to districts.

Banerjee will also be addressing a public rally of her party at Shunukpahari Hut Maidan. This is again the first public rally that Trinamool Congress chairperson is going to address since the advent of the pandemic. Lakhs of party workers and district leaders are eagerly waiting to listen to Banerjee with only a few months left for the Assembly elections.