Naveen: Broadening the Canon in the Second Wave

Bhubaneswar: Very few times in the history of the world have human beings as a race faced challenges beyond their comprehension. With advances in science, this phenomenon has become a rarity. However, in the last few days, we have seen human beings as a race facing one of the biggest challenges of the century – these were the words that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik told the Odisha Assembly last year. He was referring to the onslaught of the Covid-19 Pandemic in the world. And today after 14 months since the dangerous disease reached Odisha, we are facing its second wave. It is more virulent and infectious than the first one. Odisha fought the first wave successfully and is also doing so in the second wave. The fight is continuing under the able leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

As a true mass leader, Naveen has been leading the fight on behalf of his family of four and half crore people. While saving the lives of his state, he has not forgotten his federal responsibility. He has extended all supports to the Union Government when needed. All these days, he has been giving valuable inputs to the Center on the better management of the pandemic.

Odisha was the first state to engage the PRI members in the fight against the pandemic. This was followed by many other states later. Odisha was the earliest state to put up a robust mechanism to fight the pandemic in rural areas. The whole country appreciated this.

Odisha’s Mission Shakti members showed that women have the power to face any eventuality. Odisha today has a strong mechanism to fight the second wave.

Since the second wave started accelerating the number of infections in many of the states, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has taken several steps that need to be recognised by all. When the whole of western India was facing the pandemic Odisha Chief Minister wrote to Prime Minister Modi asking him to make available the vaccines in the open market, a demand which had an impact and the Center immediately made the provisions regarding this.

In his letter to the Prime Minister, Naveen said, “Vaccines may be made available outside the government supply chain in the open market so that willing citizens who can afford the vaccine can avail them. This will help governments have a focused approach towards vulnerable sections of society”. He also said that those vaccines which have been approved by international agencies and governments be accorded approval to increase supply.

“We have one of the lowest rates of wastage in the country. We have the capacity to administer more than three lakh doses every day. We are getting a huge response from people,” Naveen said. In a statesman-like gesture Naveen also said that the metropolitan cities which account for the highest COVID cases should be allowed priority vaccination and flexibility in age criteria as these are economic nerve centres of the country.

In another important letter written to the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Naveen demanded for exemption of GST on vaccine purchases by the states. This will have a positive impact on the financials of various states who are purchasing the vaccines from the companies directly. While the states have been asked to purchase vaccines from their own resources to cover the 18 to 44 years age group, any reduction in the taxes will help vaccinating more and more people. The state government has allocated Rs 2000 Crore for procuring vaccines and has already placed orders with the major vaccine manufacturers.

Naveen also said that, it is important that the states are supported financially so that the entire country fights as one. Additional resources raised through various Cess and Surcharges on petrol, diesel and liquor, which are exclusively available to the Centre, should be suitably shared with state governments at this critical juncture. This will strengthen the fight against the pandemic including the provision of vaccinations, free treatment, undertaking preventive measures and so on.

Since the onslaught of the second wave of the pandemic, there has been an acute crisis for medical oxygen. States especially, Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh grappled to get oxygen supplies. At this critical juncture, Odisha Chief Minister took the bold step and announced that the Odisha Government will provide help so that the required oxygen reaches the needy states. Till date Odisha has sent more than 400 tankers of Liquid Medical oxygen to ten states i.e., Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, New Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh. Odisha has become the lifeline for the affected states.

The world’s most acclaimed peer-reviewed medical journal, the Lancet has also appreciated Odisha for its better preparedness in fighting the second wave of the Covid-19 Pandemic. The journal, in its latest editorial titled ‘India’s Covid-19 Emergency’ has said that Odisha is among the few states in the country which were better prepared, and have been able to produce enough medical oxygen in this second wave to export it to other states.

Since the onset of the pandemic, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has been closely monitoring the situation in the state and his priority remains saving the lives of the people. His active monitoring and guidance has helped the state in a proper management of the crisis.

There is so much that has been taken from us. Things are shifting and changing. Not just for us. But for the whole world. We may be in the midst of a storm. But we are not in the same boat. Let us fight unitedly. There is another vast Canon. Just we have to dream it. Naveen can make it happen.