Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that India’s achievement of 100 crore Covid-19 vaccinations belongs to every individual in the country.

While addressing the nation, PM Modi congratulated every citizen of the country for achieving this feat. “On 21st October, India accomplished the target of 1 billion Covid-19 vaccinations. This achievement belongs to every individual in the country. I congratulate every citizen for this feat,” said the Prime Minister.

He further said that 100 crore vaccinations are not just a number but the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the country.

On October 21, India achieved the difficult but extraordinary target of 1 billion, 100 crore vaccine doses.

PM Modi insisted everyone continue to wear masks and follow all Covid-19 protocols even though the country has vaccinated over 100 crore people. He also urged those who are yet to take the vaccine to get their jabs at the earliest.

Meanwhile, more than 100.59 crore vaccine doses have been administered so far to eligible beneficiaries, as per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Last year, a lot of traders had suffered huge losses as sales during Diwali had dipped significantly owing to the Covid-19 virus. However, this year, thanks to 100 crore people being vaccinated, people are feeling much safer and our traders can do business like usual, the Prime Minister said.

From February 2, front-line workers were made eligible for vaccination. These included State and Central Police personnel, Armed Force Personnel, Home Guards, Civil Defence & Disaster Management Volunteers, Municipal workers, Prison Staff, PRI Staff and Revenue workers involved in containment and surveillance, Railway Protection Force and election Staff.

The vaccination drive was expanded from March 1 to include persons above 60 years of age and those above 45 years with associated specified 20 comorbidities. It was further expanded to all people above 45 years of age from April 1. From May 1, all persons above 18 years of age were made eligible for Covid-19 vaccination.

This is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tenth address to the nation since March 2020. The first was on March 19, 2020, in which PM Modi had announced the Janta Curfew amid surging Covid-19 cases.

Describing India’s vaccination drive as a journey from “anxiety to assurance” that has made the country emerge stronger, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote “The journey from anxiety to assurance has happened and our nation has emerged stronger, thanks to the world’s largest vaccination drive. It has been a truly bhagirath effort involving multiple sections of society.”

He added, “The vaccine drive is an example of what India can achieve if the citizens and the government come together with a common goal in the spirit of Jan Bhagidari. When everyone takes ownership, nothing is impossible.”

(With ANI inputs)