Ensure early WHO nod for Covaxin, says Mamata

Vaccination not valid for students travelling abroad, CM writes to PM.

June 24, 2021 08:51 pm | Updated 08:52 pm IST - Kolkata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention to ensure early approval of indigenously developed Covaxin from the World Health Organisation (WHO). Ms. Banerjee has for the past few days flagged concerns of students vaccinated with Covaxin, who are in a bind as their vaccination certificates are not valid abroad.

“Large number of students from all over the country travel abroad every year for higher studies Many of these students have got themselves vaccinated with Covaxin and came to learn later on, that their vaccination certificate is not valid abroad. These students are now in a fix regarding their next course of action and their career is at stake,” the Chief Minister wrote.

The Chief Minister said the West Bengal government has taken the vaccination programme is right earnest and administered more than 2 crore vaccines to people till date.

Highlighting the plight of the students Ms Banerjee wrote, “Hence, I request for your kind intervention so that an early approval is received for Covaxin from WHO and students do not face any problem. This will also benefit people travelling abroad for job, education, business and any other purposes as well.”

Student credit card

The Chief Minister also announced the launch of Bengal Student Credit Card scheme where soft loan upto ₹10 lakh will be made available to students from June 30.

“Anyone who has spent ten years in West Bengal can avail the benefits of the scheme. Loan will be available for graduate, postgraduate, doctoral post-doctoral study in India or abroad for 40 years,” Ms. Banerjee said. The repayment period of the loan has a window of 15 years and the rate of interest is nominal, she added.

The Bengal Student Credit Card Scheme was proposed in the election manifesto of the Trinamool Congress for the 2021 Assembly polls. Earlier this month on June 16, the Chief Minister had doubled the entitlements of Krishak Bandhu scheme providing cash transfers to farmers and agricultural workers, something that was promised in the poll manifesto of the State’s ruling party.

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