Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said that the state government is making arrangements to provide free vaccines for Covid-19 to all the people of the state.

In an open letter, Mamata said that the Covid ‘warriors’, including police, home guards, civil defence volunteers, correctional home and disaster management employees, will be administered the vaccine on a priority basis.

“I am happy to inform that our government is making arrangements for reaching the vaccine to all people of the state free of any charge,” the chief minister said in the letter addressed to the Covid-19 frontline workers.

Banerjee expressed her gratitude to all the Covid warriors for their selfless service to the people of Bengal.

India is set to launch its Covid-19 vaccination drive from January 16 with priority to be given to nearly three crore healthcare and frontline workers across the country.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to meet all chief ministers of states and Union Territories to discuss the Covid-19 vaccination rollout process, his office said on Friday. The PM will also discuss the pandemic situation in each state.

The chief minister’s announcement of free vaccination for everyone comes months ahead of the assembly elections, which are likely to be held in April-May.

Earlier, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had made a similar announcement. The southern state will also go to polls along with Bengal.

The Bihar government has also given the cabinet nod to provide free vaccine to every citizen of the state, a promise the BJP made in its manifesto for the assembly elections held in October-November.