Now that the vaccine policy rollout has been expanded in typical shock-and-awe style, there must be greater clarity on implementation, what the state governments and private sector will do to procure and deliver. If vaccinations will again need online registration, time to open these is now, not on 30 April.
Bengal Covid cases up 1,500%. Roll remaining phases into one, cancel rallies
Covid infections in West Bengal have seen a 1,500 per cent hockey stick rise since March 20. The Election Commission must roll the remaining three phases of polling into one, and parties must stop all public meetings and roadshows. The new government will have a devastating crisis on its hands.
A very forthright interview of Smt K Sujatha Rao, former Union Health Secretary, by Ms Mitali Mukherjee for Wire. 2. There are eighty mandarins of Ms Rao’s caliber in Delhi at any given time. If there is a talent crunch at the ministerial level, these guys – and gals – can run with the ball. So it is an abiding mystery why governance is not glittering.
During the Battle of Britain, Winston Churchill had said that if the nation survived for a thousand years, the world would say, this was their finest hour. Somehow the election in Bengal is not shaping up as the ECI’s finest hour.
A Bench headed by the learned CJ of Calcutta High Court has reminded the ECI that it was once headed by a fearless, upright man called T N Seshan.
Why should vaccination require online registration. That implies two things : strict eligibility criteria and, although not spelt out, an overall shortage. It should be as simple as turning up to vote : Show your Aadhaar card and walk right in.
True. Iron out all implementation issues. Don’t want a disaster. You don’t want a line of young people growing inpatient for life saving vaccine. Be careful. Make sure there is ample communication right from the top to every single vaccination centre and most importantly between the vaccination centre and the people. Don’t be idiotic like now.