Centre to provide 10 mn vaccine doses to Karnataka for August: CM Bommai

Newly-appointed Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday said the Centre has agreed to increase the monthly supply of COVID-19 vaccines to the state, from 63-64 lakh doses to 1 crore doses for the month of August, amid rising cases.

"I asked for more (Covid) vaccination supply to the state. He (Mandaviya) has promised to help in the maximum way.

At present, 63-64 lakh loses are being supplied to Karnataka on a monthly basis. The state needs more doses and I asked for the supply of 1.5 crore doses monthly," he told reporters after meeting Union Heath Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.

The Karnataka chief minister said the health minister informed him that (1.5 crore doses) would be little difficult but would try to supply 1 crore doses to the southern state for August, and increase the supply in the later months.

"I hope about 1 crore doses will be supplied to the state so that 3-4 lakh vaccinations per day can be done in our state," he added.

Bommai noted that Karnataka has been allocated about Rs 800 crore fund which will be released from the Centre's Covid emergency fund of about Rs 23,000 crore.

"About 15 per cent of it has been released so far. The Union health minister has promised to release more in the coming days to strengthen the state's health infrastructure," he said.

Further, the CM said he updated Mandaviya about the coronavirus situation in the state, especially the districts bordering Kerala.

A direction has already been issued to district collectors to increase testing and vaccination, he said.

Bommai said the health minister told him that a central direction would be issued with regard to rising cases in bordering districts of Kerala.

The CM said he will review the Covid situation in the bordering districts with the respective district administrations after he returns back to Bengaluru. He said he will also review the flood situation in the state.

There is concern about rising Covid cases in the bordering districts. The government will step up testing of train passengers and those travelling via roadways, he added.

On the second day of his visit to Delhi after becoming the CM, Bommai also called on Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi.

He also visited Raj Ghat to pay tributes to Mahatma Gandhi. He also paid his tribute to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at his memorial Sadaiv Atal here.

On Friday, the Karnataka CM had called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi besides Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.

Bommai, who was elected as the new leader of the BJP legislature party on Tuesday, following B S Yediyurappa's resignation, took oath as the chief minister on Wednesday.