The Asian Age

Saints, others with no ID proof to get vaccinated: Odisha

- AKSHAYA KUMAR SAHOO BHUBANESWA­R, MAY 12

The Odisha government on Wednesday decided to administer Covid-19 vaccine to vulnerable people, including sadhu/saints, nomads and beggars, who don’t possess any identity proofs, .

In a letter to all the collectors and municipal corporatio­n commission­ers, additional chief secretary to the government P.K. Mohapatra asked to immediatel­y identify such persons and bring them under the inoculatio­n process.

The Odisha government on Wednesday decided to administer Covid-19 vaccine to vulnerable people who don’t possess any identity proofs.

In a letter to all the collectors and Municipal corporatio­n commission­ers, additional chief secretary to the government P.K. Mohapatra, asked to immediatel­y identify such persons and bring them under the inoculatio­n process.

“In all the phases of Covid-19 vaccinatio­n drive, it has been prescribed that the beneficiar­y must register in the COWIN portal. The beneficiar­y has to register in the portal with one of the seven prescribed ID proofs. However, some vulnerable groups of citizens may not possess any of the seven prescribed identity cards. Such vulnerable persons may not be denied vaccines for absence of identity proof,” Mr Mohapatra wrote in the letter.

“Such groups of people include nomads (including sadhu/saints from various religions), prison inmates, inmates in mental health institutio­ns, citizens in old age homes, roadside beggars, people residing in rehabilita­tion centres/camps and any other identified eligible persons, aged 18 years or more. The COWIN portal will provide the facility for the creation of special vaccinatio­n sessions for this purpose,” the official said in the letter.

Meanwhile, after witnessing a steady decline in the number of daily cases, Odisha once again registered an upswing in the infection figures. The state recorded 10,982 new Covid positive cases and 17 fatalities.

 ?? — PTI ?? A consignmen­t of 100 oxygen concentrat­ors arrived from Japan to support India’s fight against Covid-19 being unloaded at Delhi airport.
— PTI A consignmen­t of 100 oxygen concentrat­ors arrived from Japan to support India’s fight against Covid-19 being unloaded at Delhi airport.

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