Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president D.K. Shivakumar on Tuesday suggested that the State adopt the Common Entrance Test (CET) model of the Higher Education Department for the supply of COVID-19 vaccine and allocation of beds, oxygen, and Remdesivir to the infected. He said this would help maintain transparency in the system.
For online booking of vaccination and maintaining transparency in the delivery of doses, the government should follow the system adopted by the CET for better clarity on availability of vaccines, drugs, oxygen, and beds in hospitals, he said, adding that the existing system had no transparency in allocation of beds and vaccine.
Mr. Shivakumar told reporters that the government has not been able to ensure proper supply of vaccines to all primary health centres and hospitals to provide jabs to people aged above 18. “Shortage of vaccine has severely hit the vaccination drive,” he said.
He also took exception to RDPR Minister K.S. Eshwarappa’s statement that the government has not printed notes for providing compensation to all victims, and said the Minister had kept a machine for counting notes. Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa too said the government had not printed notes for providing compensation to all in the State during last year’s lockdown, Mr. Shivakumar said.
Reiterating the Congress’ demand that the State provide compensation of ₹10,000 to all those financially impacted by the lockdown, he said the Tamil Nadu government had decided to credit ₹4,000 each to the accounts of the poor impacted by the lockdown.
On farm produce being thrown on the roadside by farmers, he suggested that Cooperation Minister S.T. Somashekar and Agriculture Minister B.C. Patil visit some APMCs in the State and assess the financial plight of the farmers.
Tax exemption
Meanwhile, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, MLA and KPCC working president Ramalinga Reddy urged the Centre to exempt medical items from the Goods and Services Tax and duties for better management of the pandemic by the State governments.
The Centre has already lifted customs duty and health cess on imported medical goods.
