No link between Covid-19 vaccine and Karnataka govt schemes: P Ravi Kumar

Karnataka Chief Secretary P Ravi Kumar on Thursday clarified that there was no link between citizens getting the Covid-19 vaccine and them receiving government benefits such as ration or pensions.

Kumar issued a circular after Chamarajanagar deputy commissioner M R Ravi's ‘no vaccination, no ration, no pension’ plan led to outrage.

“Since the Covid-19 vaccination has not been linked to any government scheme or programme, deputy commissioners and district health officers are directed not to impose any restrictions on citizens in order to get them vaccinated,” Kumar said, adding that the vaccination programme should be made successful by taking up awareness campaigns.

“If, in case, the vaccination has been wrongfully linked to any government scheme or programme, it should be immediately dropped,” Kumar said.

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On Wednesday, the Chamarajanagar DC clarified that no order had been issued linking vaccination with the provision of ration or pension. However, Ravi had told reporters recently that the district administration wanted to roll out a ‘no vaccination, no ration, no pension’ programme in Chamarajanagar from September 1, to create awareness on the importance of vaccination, in the wake of the second wave.

Even Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai disapproved of the plan to link vaccination with government services. “Instead they should address the concern of vaccine hesitancy and convince people to get vaccinated,” Bommai said Wednesday.

The chief secretary’s circular came a day after Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar demanded DC Ravi’s suspension.