98% of defence personnel received both doses of Covid-19 vaccine: Govt

Ninety-eight percent of all serving defence personnel including those deployed at the borders have received both doses of COVID-19 vaccines, while the rest have received one dose, the government said on Monday.

"All serving defence personnel, including those stationed at the borders and personnel from the Border Roads Organisation, are being vaccinated against COVID-19 since January 16," Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt said.

He was replying to a question in Rajya Sabha.

"Till now 100 percent of these defence personnel have been vaccinated with the first dose and 98 percent have been vaccinated with the second dose," he said.

To a separate question, Bhatt said the government is fully seized of the security needs of the country and reviews the same from time to time.

"Required measures including development of infrastructures like construction of roads, tunnels and strategic railway lines are taken to safeguard the sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of India," he said.

Bhatt said the road construction is taken up by Border Roads Organisation (BRO) as per the operational requirement of the armed forces and the need for development along the border areas.

"Amongst these, 73 critical roads have been designated as Indo-China Border Roads of 4,203 kilometres length and are being accorded highest priority with dedicated funding," he said.

"Further, to ensure all-weather connectivity to far-flung areas, construction of tunnels has also been undertaken across passes. Currently, construction of four tunnels is underway," he added.