(Above): Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits the vaccination center at Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi, Oct. 21, 2021, as India achieves 100 crore vaccination mark. (PIB)

Addressing the nation, the Prime Minister lauded the difficult but remarkable feat of administering 1 billion vaccine doses. He attributed this achievement to the dedication of 1.3 billion countrymen and said this success is the success of India and the success of every countryman. He said 1 billion vaccinations are not just a figure, but a reflection of the strength of the country, it is the creation of a new chapter of history. This is a picture of a new India that sets difficult goals and knows how to achieve them.

The Prime Minister noted that today many people are comparing India’s vaccination program with other countries of the world. He said the speed with which India crossed the 100 crore mark, 1 billion, is also being appreciated. However, he pointed out, in this analysis the point of beginning for India is often missed.

He said developed countries had decades of expertise in researching and developing vaccines. India mostly depended on vaccines made by these countries. He said for this reason when the biggest pandemic of the century struck, various questions were raised about India’s ability to fight the global pandemic.

Questions like, from where will India get the money to buy so many vaccines from other countries? When will India get the vaccine? Will the people of India get the vaccine or not? Will India be able to vaccinate enough people to stop the pandemic from spreading? Were answered by achieving this feat of administering 1 billion vaccinations. He stressed that India has not only administered 1 billion vaccine doses to its citizens but has also done that free of cost. He said the acceptance that India enjoys in the world as a pharma hub will be further strengthened.

The Prime Minister said at the beginning of the Corona pandemic, people were anxious that it would be very difficult to fight this pandemic in a democracy like India. Questions were also raised whether so much restraint and so much discipline work here? He said that for us, democracy means taking everyone along – Sabka Saath. The country started the campaign of ‘Free Vaccine and Vaccine for Everyone.’ Vaccinations were given to poor-rich, rural-urban alike. He remarked that the country has only one mantra that if the disease does not discriminate, then there cannot be any discrimination in the vaccination. He said that’s why it was ensured that the VIP culture of entitlement does not dominate the vaccination campaign.

The Prime Minister said questions were raised that most of the people in India would not go to the vaccination center to get vaccinated. Vaccine hesitancy remains a major challenge even today in many major developed countries of the world. But the people of India have answered it by taking 1 billion vaccine doses. He said a campaign is ‘everybody’s effort’ and if everyone’s efforts are synergized, the results are amazing. He said that the Government made public participation the first line of defense in the country’s fight against the pandemic.

The Prime Minister said India’s entire vaccination program is born in the womb of science, has grown on scientific grounds and has reached all four directions through scientific methods. He said it is a matter of pride for all of us that the entire vaccination program of India has been science-born, science driven and science-based.

He said that before the vaccine was made and until the vaccine was administered, the entire campaign was based on a scientific approach. The challenge was also a need to scale up the production. After that, distribution to different states and timely delivery of vaccines to far-flung areas. But, with scientific methods and new innovations, the country has found solutions to these challenges. Resources were increased with extraordinary speed. He said the COWIN platform, made in India, not only gave convenience to the common people but also made the work of our medical staff easier.

The Prime Minister said experts and many agencies from home and abroad are very positive about India’s economy. Today not only are record investments coming in Indian companies but new employment opportunities are also being created for the youth. With record investment in start-ups, unicorns are being made. New energy is also visible in the housing sector. He said many reforms and initiatives taken in the last few months, will play a big role in making India’s economy grow faster. He said during the pandemic, the agriculture sector kept our economy strong. Today government procurement of food grains is happening at a record level. The money is going directly into the bank accounts of the farmers.

The Prime Minister insisted the people on buying every little thing, which is ‘Made in India,’ which was made by the hard work of an Indian. He said that this will be possible only with the efforts of everyone. Just like Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is a mass movement, in the same way, buying things made in India, buying things made by Indians, being vocal for local has to be put into practice.

The Prime Minister said the country knows how to set big goals and achieve them. But, for this, we need to be constantly careful. He stressed that no matter how good the cover is, no matter how modern the armor is, even if armor gives a complete guarantee of protection, weapons are not given up while the battle is on. Similarly, he said there is no reason to get careless. He requested the people to celebrate our festivals with utmost care.