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Tag: Himanta Biswa Sarma

  • Assam preparing list of people to administer COVID vaccine: Himanta Biswa Sarma

    By PTI
    GUWAHATI: The Assam government is preparing a list of people, including healthcare personnel and frontline workers, to administer COVID-19 vaccine, a minister said on Sunday.

    The government is expecting to receive the first batch of vaccine in March-April, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

    “At first, we will give the vaccine to our health workers such as doctors, nurses, ward boys and other medical staff. After that, the frontline workers like policemen, emergency service staffers, public servants and teachers will be included,” he told reporters here.

    In the third category, the senior citizens and people with comorbidities will be given the vaccine, the state health minister said.

    “In 2021, we hope to cover these three categories. We are preparing the list now. Our dry run for vaccination is going on successfully,” he said.

    India’s drugs regulator on Sunday approved Oxford COVID-19 vaccine Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute, and indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech for restricted emergency use in the country, paving the way for a massive inoculation drive.

    Responding to the development, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal tweeted, “A proud moment in our fight against #COVID19. PM @narendramodi ji, under your leadership, the resolve of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat, to keep the nation safe and healthy, has been revitalised. I congratulate the scientific community for this achievement.” 

    Asked about starting of the vaccination drive, Sarma said the state government is hopeful of receiving the vaccine by March-April this year and will commence the process after that.

    Sarma also lauded the efforts by the scientists, and said the two vaccines are the new year gifts to India.

    “The approval by #DCGI has bolstered our hopes for a #COVID19 free India. A gruelling 9-month tryst of the Nation, dotted with incredible conviction & courage, & guided by constant motivation of PM Sri @narendramodi, comes to a gratifying end,” he said on Twitter.

    On Saturday, National Health Mission Director Lakshmanan S said the dry run will continue regularly across Assam to prepare the medical staff and keep the infrastructure ready for the vaccination process.

    Along with Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Punjab, the mock drill exercise for COVID-19 vaccination in Assam began on December 28 in Nalbari and Sonitpur districts.

    As on January 2, Assam reported a total of 2,16,289 COVID-19 cases and 1,051 fatalities.

    The number of active cases stood at 3,166, and 2,12,069 people have recovered from the disease.

  • Assam government to close all the state-run madrassas and Sanskrit tols from November, says Himanta Biswa Sarma

    Assam Health and Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the Assam government has decided to close all the state-run madrassas from November,

    On Saturday, Sharma told that, “We will close down state-run madrassas in Assam from November. The government will release a notification in this regard.”“Our government’s policy we had announced earlier in the state Assembly. There should be no religious education with government’s funding,” he told the media. “We have nothing to say about privately-run madrasas and Sanskrit tols,” he further added.

    He said that after the closing down of the madrasas, 48 contractual teachers would be shifted to schools under the Education Department.Meanwhile, All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief Badruddin Ajmal has slammed the state government’s decision.He said that after coming to power in 2021 Assembly poll, his party would take steps to re-open these educational educations Madrasas cannot be closed. We would reopen these 50-60-year-old madrassas if this BJP government closes them forcibly,” said Ajmal, who is also an MP.