India to start world’s biggest Covid-19 vaccination programme soon: PM Modi

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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday lauded the efforts of the Indian scientists and doctors involved in developing the vaccine for Covid-19, saying that India is soon going to start the largest vaccination programme in the world.

“The new year has brought with it a new achievement. Indian scientists have not developed just one, but two Covid vaccines,” he said while inaugurating the National Metrology Conclave virtually. He also dedicated the National Atomic Timescale and Bharatiya Nirdeshak Dravya to the nation, besides laying the foundation stone for the National Environmental Standards Lab.

“We are on the threshold of starting the ‘largest vaccination programme in the world’. The entire country is indebted to all scientists and technicians,” he said.

Two coronavirus vaccines — Oxford Institute’s Covishield, which is being developed by the Pune-based Serum Institute, and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, received approval for emergency use from the drug regulator on Sunday. 

PM Modi urged Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to interact with school students to raise awareness about the efforts of the institute and said this would inspire and motivate them to become scientists in future. 

He also lauded the scientific institutions in the country including CSIR for coming together to find solutions for every challenge faced by the country. He praised CSIR National Physical Laboratory (NPL) for having played an important role in the evolution and evaluation in the development of the country.