The state health department has directed all 23 districts to increase Covid-19 vaccination to the maximum possible extent from Monday, with a daily target of 10 lakh jabs, to try and complete vaccinating all eligible people in Bengal with at least one dose within this month.

“We have set a preliminary target to complete at least the first dose of vaccination for all eligible people in the state within October 31. It might take a few more days, but the deadline was set as many districts are far from that goal. Calcutta is the only district where cent per cent first dose vaccination for eligible people has been achieved,” said a senior health department official.

As of 8pm on Sunday, Bengal administered over 6.65 crore doses, including nearly 1.83 crore second doses – which means 18.3 per cent of the state’s population is now fully vaccinated. Nationally, 21.1 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated.

On Sunday, around 2.92 lakh doses were administered in Bengal, from 1,053 vaccination centres, 903 of them run by the state government.

Health officials said in Darjeeling, East Midnapore, Howrah and Hooghly, over 85 per cent vaccination of at least a single dose of the eligible population has been achieved. Districts like Malda, North Dinajpur and Cooch Behar, however, have just about covered 50 per cent.

Sources said the move to increase vaccination came after the Union health ministry sought data on districts that have completed cent per cent vaccination with at least single dose, and on districts that are yet to complete 50 per cent.

Health officials said Bengal saw “rather poor” vaccination during four days of Durga Puja, followed by the weekend after Vijaya Dashami.

“Even on Chaturthi (October 9), we managed to administer 13.34 lakh doses. But that fell to 2.17 lakh on Panchami (October 10). Between Mahasasthi (October 11) and Vijaya Dashami (October 15), only 11.82 lakh doses could be administered,” said an official.

“On Mahashtami (October 13), there were only 8,076 doses administered in the entire state. On Mahanavami (October 14), the statewide total was 52,492. On Dashami (October 15), it was 39,731... But this was also because people were not interested in being vaccinated during puja,” he added. “Now, all districts have been given a target to vaccinate at least 3,000 people from each of the 350-odd blocks from Monday. They are free to better the target, if possible.”

Senior officials said the daily target might not be met till Lakshmi Puja on Wednesday.

Calcutta leads the districts in vaccination with over 74.17 lakh doses, followed by North 24-Parganas, with over 68.68 lakh doses. Districts in Jungle Mahal are among those with relatively lower numbers. At the bottom of the pile is Kalimpong, with 2.87 lakh doses.

Health officials in the districts said civic bodies have fared well in vaccinating their residents. However, the main challenge remains the rural population.

An official added that ground-level staff members had been working relentlessly, without leave, since the vaccination process began. “So we had to grant them holidays for the four main days of Puja. Many took leave to visit their homes elsewhere, or meet their relatives,” said an official.