COVID-19: PM Narendra Modi's 'Tika Utsav' initiative to vaccinate maximum people begins today

File Photo (PIB)

New Delhi: In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to give COVID-19 vaccine jabs to maximum eligible people, a 'Tika Utsav' will begin across the country from Sunday (April 11, 2021).

During his interaction with chief ministers to discuss the COVID-19 situation in the country, PM Modi had called for a vaccination festival between April 11 and April 14 on the occasion of the birth anniversaries of Jyotiba Phule and Baba Saheb Ambedkar.

"We should vaccinate as many eligible people through a special campaign and decide on zero wastage. If there is zero wastage in four days during Tika Utsav, it will also increase our vaccination capacity," PM had said.

"We should make optimum utilization of vaccination capacity. And for this, if we have to increase the number of vaccination centres, we should do it. Let's see how we can mobilize things from April 11 to 14 and there will be satisfaction of achievement. It will greatly help in changing the situation. I have also told the Indian government to provide as many vaccine doses as possible. This should be our endeavour to vaccinate maximum eligible people during the 'Tika Utsav'," the Prime Minister had told the chief ministers.

The vaccination festival will begin a day after the Prime Minister's Office announced that India is the fastest country in the world to administer 100 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. 

India, notably, achieved the feat in 85 days as compared to the United States (89 days) and China (102 days).

Strengthening the efforts to ensure a healthy and COVID-19 free India. pic.twitter.com/A2cQ22pxEf — PMO India (@PMOIndia) April 10, 2021

As per the provisional report at 08:00 pm on Saturday, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed that the cumulative number of coronavirus vaccine doses administered in the country stands at 10,12,84,282.

The 10.12 crore figure achieved across 15,17,260 sessions includes 90,03,060 Healthcare Workers (HCWs) who have taken the 1st dose and 55,06,717 HCWs who have taken the 2nd dose, 99,39,321 Frontline Workers (FLWs) (1st dose), 47,28,966 FLWs (2nd dose), 3,01,14,957 for over 45 years old to 59 years old (1st Dose), 6,37,768 for over 45 years old to 59 years old (2nd dose), 3,95,64,741 for above 60 years (1st Dose) and 17,88,752 for above 60 years (2nd Dose).

The world's largest COVID-19 vaccination drive had kicked off in India on January 16, 2021.