Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra on Wednesday called for widening vaccine distribution channels and fully opening vaccination ineligibility in the states with the highest number of Covid-19 cases in a bid to curb the spread of the virus.

“Apologies for being repetitive. I again plead for fully opening vaccination eligibility in these states. Young people are also super spreaders. Widen distribution channels. Please allow companies to take responsibility for the vaccination of their people, especially in factories,” tweeted Mahindra responding to a media report on six states accounting for over 80 per cent of daily new cases with Maharashtra and Punjab accounting for the highest daily new cases

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday said that Maharashtra, Punjab, Kerala, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat are reporting a rise in Daily New Cases, accounting for 80.63 per cent of daily new cases.

“Maharashtra continues to report the highest daily new cases at 31,855 (59.57 per cent). It is followed by Punjab with 2,613 while Kerala reported 2,456 new cases,” the Ministry of Health said in an official release.

Overall, 53,476 new cases have been reported in the last 24 hours.

The Mahindra Group chairman earlier this month had called for emergency permission from the government to vaccinate all willing individuals against Covid-19 in the State of Maharashtra owing to a sharp increase in cases in a bid to reduce the economic impact of the same.

“Over half the new daily cases are in Maharashtra. The state is the nerve-centre of the country’s economic activity & more lockdowns will be debilitating. Maharashtra needs emergency permission to vaccinate EVERY willing person. No shortage of vaccines. @PMOIndia @drharshvardhan,” Mahindra had written from his Twitter account.

The total Active Caseload stood at 3.95 (3,95,192) lakh on Thursday, comprising 3.35 per cent of total positive cases. Three states, Maharashtra, Kerala and Punjab account for 74.32 per cent of total active cases, it said. 251 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours.

“Six States account for 78.49 per cent of the daily deaths. Maharashtra saw the maximum casualties (95). Punjab follows with 39 daily deaths and Chhattisgarh reported 29 deaths in the last 24 hours,” it said.

In terms of vaccination, India has administered over 5.31 crore (5,31,45,709) vaccine doses so far across the country. More than 23 lakh (23,03,305) vaccination doses were given in the last 24 hours.