Protecting healthcare workers from abuse 'state subject': Centre

New Delhi: The Centre on Tuesday claimed that protecting the healthcare workers from abuse, and verbal threats is a 'state subject' as per List II of the Schedule VII of the constitution of India, not part of the Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Act, 2020.

Answering an Unstarred Question by Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Santanu Sen, the Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Bharati Pravin Pawar replied on the Floor of the House, "Provision of the Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Act, 2020, accordingly empowers the State Government to take action under the said provision along with the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 and India Penal Code, 1860. The Act is accordingly implemented at the State level."

Sen asked the health ministry the detail of the number of cases registered and the number of people convicted of an offence under the Act since its implementation.

On the other hand, the MoS also informed the Parliament that the central government has administered the second dose of the COVID vaccine to 85 per cent of eligible people so far, whereas the first dose has been administered to 97 per cent of eligible people so far. Pawar also mentioned this while replying to another question by the TMC Rajya Sabha member. She said that vaccination is voluntary and hoped that everyone could work together and participate in this initiative.

Meanwhile, Santanu Sen accused the government at the Centre of failing to fulfil its promises.

"We have seen several promises of vaccination on many occasions by the central government, whether on International Yoga Day or the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The government further claimed that by December 31, 2021, all eligible people will be double vaccinated. But can the Union Minister give a specific date, by which the promise will be fulfilled?" Sen asserted while speaking in the Upper House.