Three Corona vaccines at different stage of trials in India, says PM Modi

Every Indian will have a digital health identity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Saturday. He also informed that the nation is getting ready to immunise its citizens with three indigenously-developed Covid-19 vaccine.

Unveiling the National Digital Health Mission on the eve of the 74th Independence Day, Modi, said that this ID will be just like a bank account pass book. It will have all the details of diseases, tests & their reports, treatment, doctor’s advice, medicines taken, and appointments, among others, of the individual. “It is being launched from today. It will bring a new revolution in the health sector,” Modi said in his speech from the ramparts of Red Fort.

Talking about the Covid-19 vaccine, he said: “Today, not one, not two but three vaccines of corona are currently in testing phase in India. As soon as the green signal is received from the scientists, the country’s is also ready for mass production of those vaccines.”

He said the government’s roadmap would be to bring the corona vaccine to all Indians in the shortest possible time.

Paying tributes to all corona warriors, he hailed the efforts of all  corona warriors who are putting up a brave fight in these times of crisis. “In this extraordinary time of corona, our doctors, nurses, paramedical staff, ambulance personnel, sweepers, policemen, servicemen, and many people are working round the clock, regardless of their lives,” he said.

Referring to the restrictions imposed due to Covid-19, he recalled children who used to be part of the Independence Day celebration every year and paid rich tributes to frontline Covid-19 warriors. “I bow down to all the corona warriors who are putting up a brave fight in these times of crisis. In these times of Covid-19, corona warriors have lived the mantra of ‘Seva Parmo Dharma’ and served the people of India,” he said.

Self-reliant India

Emphasising the call of self-reliance, Modi said that 130 crore Indians have pledged to build an Aatmanirbhar Bharat . “I am confident that India will realize this dream. I am confident of the abilities, confidence and potential of my fellow Indians. Once we decide to do something, we do not rest till we achieve that goal,” he said.

Explaining the concept of Aatmanirbhar , he said, it is not just reducing imports, but to enhance the potential, creativity and skills. “How long will we see raw material getting exported and being imported as finished product coming back to our country? The mindset of free India should be ‘vocal for local’. We should appreciate our local products, if we don’t do this then our products will not get the opportunity to do better and will not get encouraged,” he said.

Acknowledging record foreign direct investment during 2019-20, he said that many big companies in the world are turning to India. Now, the nation has to move forward with the mantra of ‘Make in India’ as well as ‘Make for World’. “India has always believed that the entire world is one family. While we focus on economic growth and development, humanity must retain a central role in this process and our journey,” he said.

Highlighting the need for strong infrastructure, he said that work in progress to provide ‘Multi-Modal Connectivity Infrastructure’. This will mean proper connectivity between road and port, rail and port and rail and road. The government has already planned to invest over ₹100-lakh crore on over 7,000 identified projects. “This will be just like a new revolution in the field of infrastructure,” he said.

With agriculture emerging as a silver lining in the present situation, Modi called for ‘self-reliant agriculture’ and ‘self-reliant farmer’. “There was a time when our farm sector was in bad shape. Our concern was how to feed the nation. Now we can feed not just our nation, but the entire world,” he said.

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