New Delhi

President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday said that 'Made in India' COVID-19 vaccines are playing an important role in making the world free from the pandemic.

"COVID-19 vaccines being made in India are playing an important role in making the whole world free from the pandemic and saving the lives of crores of people," President Kovind in his address to the joint sitting of the Parliament at Central Hall on the first day of Budget session.

Lauding the efforts of the state governments, central government, administrations, healthcare workers, frontline workers to curb COVID-19, the President said that everyone worked as a team. "India's capability in the fight against COVID-19 was evident in the vaccination programme. In less than a year, we made a record of administering over 150 crore doses of vaccine. Today, we are one of the leading nations of the world in terms of administering the maximum number of doses," the President said.

President Kovind said that over 90 per cent of adult citizens in the country have received the first dose of the vaccine, while more than 70 per cent have received both doses. Notably, India's nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive was started on January 16, 2021, and the vaccination coverage has exceeded 166.03 crores to date.

With the Budget Session of Parliament commencing on Monday, the government is all set to lay Economic Survey 2021-22 along with Statistical Appendix in both Houses.

Economic Survey 2021-22 and the Statistical Appendix will be laid on the table of the Lok Sabha at around 12.45 pm by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while it will be tabled in Upper House a few minutes after the House assembles at 2.30 pm.

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