Five lakh Covid-19 vaccinations daily from Sept 1: CM Basavaraj Bommai

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai on Friday said the State will start at least five lakh COVID-19 vaccinations every day from September 1 with the help of the Centre.

"We did five lakh inoculations on a trial basis on Wednesday. Now we will start five lakh vaccinations daily from September 1," Bommai who returned here on Thursday evening after a visit to Delhi, told reporters. He said his visit to the national capital was mainly to meet Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and seek the Centre's support to start five lakh inoculations daily from September onwards.

Mandaviya assured his support and said that the Centre would supply the stock of vaccines based on the consumption of the State, Bommai added. To a question on COVID restrictions during the Gauri-Ganesha festival next month, he said such issues will be discussed at a meeting of COVID-19 experts on August 30.

On water disputes with neighbouring states, the Chief Minister said he had a detailed discussion with Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat regarding Upper Krishna, Mekedatu and Mahadayi, Ettinahole and Upper Bhadra projects. He also said that he had a discussion with Advocate General Prabhuling Navadgi, senior lawyers Shyam Divan and Mohan Katarki and senior officials of the water resource department regarding the water disputes and asked them to speed up the cases which are before the Supreme Court.

The chief minister also met Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and requested her to continue the GST compensation, as it is ending in 2022. She said that a decision may be taken on this issue in the GST Council meeting, he said.

Regarding his meeting with Union Minister of Commerce and Textiles Piyush Goyal, Bommai said he has sought the Centre's support to Karnataka's proposal for a mega textile park in the state.

Goyal asked him to send the proposal and assured to offer all kinds of subsidy from the Centre for the project. The union minister also said that he would help the State in forging tie-ups with

national and international textile manufacturers, Bommai said. According to the Chief Minister, the mega textile project will generate a large number of jobs, especially for women.