Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (January 4) said that India was soon going to start the largest vaccination programme in the world and lauded the efforts of the Indian scientists involved in developing two COVID-19 vaccines.
The prime minister made his comments during the inaugural address of the National Metrology Conclave 2021.
"We are on the threshold of starting the largest vaccination programme in the world. The entire country is indebted to all scientists and technicians," PM Modi said.
The prime minister's comments come a day after he called the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI)'s approval to the Serum Institute of India's Covishield and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin a decisive turning point in India's fight against the coronavirus.
PM Modi also dedicated the National Atomic Timescale and Bharatiya Nirdeshak Dravya to the nation and laid the foundation stone for the National Environmental Standards Lab.
During his virtual address, the prime minister also urged the scientists of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to discuss and converse with the students of the educational institutions in the country.
He said that this would help in developing the next generation of young scientists in India.
PM Modi on January 3 made a tweet appreciating the approval given to the two vaccines.
"It would make every Indian proud that the two vaccines that have been given emergency use approval are made in India! This shows the eagerness of our scientific community to fulfil the dream of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat, at the root of which is care and compassion," the prime minister had said in his tweet.
It is to be noted that the DCGI has approved the two vaccines for restricted use in emergency situations. It was based on the recommendations made by COVID-19 subject expert committee of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).
(With inputs from agencies)
