Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the Collectors and other district officials of 10 states, including Odisha, to focus primarily on rural areas and boost vaccination drive in the fight against Covid-19 during a virtual interaction from New Delhi on Thursday.
Collectors of Khordha, Cuttack and Sundargarh from Odisha took part in the interaction.
Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister urged everyone to ensure full commitment to fight the pandemic.
“Coronavirus has made the work more demanding and challenging. In the midst of these new challenges, new strategies and solutions are needed. Over the past few days, active cases have started to reduce in the country. But the challenge remains as long as this infection is present even in a minor scale,” he said.
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Modi lauded the outstanding work of the state and district officials in fighting the pandemic and said experience and feedback from their work in the field helped in making practical and effective policies.
Modi stressed on the need to use local experience and the need to work together as a country. He urged to spread messages on keeping villages Corona-free and following Covid-appropriate behaviour, even when cases are declining.
He asked the officials to devise their strategy in rural and urban specific ways and ensure that rural India is Covid-19 free.
“Every epidemic has taught us the importance of continuous innovation and change in our ways of dealing with epidemics. The methods and strategies in dealing with the pandemic should be dynamic as the virus is adapt in mutation and changing the format. Virus mutation is causing concern for the youth and children. Vaccination drive is to be given boost to deal with the situation,” he said.
“The Prime Minister has advised to focus on the rural areas and emhasise upon the vaccination drive. We have activated the BDOs, Tehsildars, local medical officers and local inspectors. Teams comprising these officials are leading the fight against Covid-19 in the rural areas,” said Cuttack Collector Bhabani Shankar Chayani.