'Surprised on PM's claim that 50% people vaccinated'

Kolkata: Challenging Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claim that more than 50 per cent people have already being vaccinated, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee once again accused the Centre of supplying inadequate vaccines to Bengal as only one fourth of the state's population received vaccines so far.

In the same breath she announced that her government would allow suburban train services only after 50 per cent of the rural people get vaccinated.

"The rate of Covid cases in Bengal has considerably dropped. Only 646 people tested positive when 44,044 tests were conducted. But there are some areas where more cases are getting detected. We are taking special steps to bring the situation under control in these areas including some places in North 24-Parganas," she said.

In the same breath she said: "We have so far vaccinated around 3.75 crore people. Besides provided by the Centre we have also procured vaccines by making payment from our exchequers. But that day the Prime Minister claimed that more than 50 per cent of the country's population has been vaccinated. It surprised me, and if we tally the data of our state it will show that we need 14 crore and have vaccinated only 3.75 crore so far. That is only one fourth of the total population".

She further stated that her government is giving priority for vaccination in

congested urban areas.

"First we will cover 75 per cent of the population in the urban areas. Already 75 per cent residents of Kolkata have been vaccinated and the figure is 80 per cent in Howrah. Then stress would be given for vaccination of the rural populace. Permission would be given to resume suburban train service once the 50 per cent of the rural populace gets vaccinated," Banerjee

said.

In North 24-Parganas there were 86 cases of Covid positive in a day. The number is 86, 57 and 48 for Kolkata, Hooghly and South 24-Parganas.