Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has urged the central government to allow states to develop their own applications for COVID-19 vaccination programme.
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr Thackeray said the vaccination drive in Maharashtra has been the "fastest and the most efficient in the country".
At present, people have to register their names on CoWIN platform introduced by the central government for the vaccination.
"As we plan to open up vaccination for the 18 to 45 age group through the state's procurement, the CoWIN app is seeing a sudden surge in the number of citizens wanting to register nationally. There is fear about the app malfunctioning and crashing as it did on the first day of registration of the age group," he said.
"We propose either a separate app developed by states, where the data can be shared with the Union government's ministry of health or a CoWIN app for each state, developed and assigned by the government of India," he said.
This would ensure better interface and experience for citizens who are really keen to take the vaccine shot, the chief minister added.
Mr Thackeray wrote that the vaccine supply was also a major challenge.
"If possible, the state is willing to procure the requisite stock of vaccines in a single procurement. However, the producers do not have enough stocks. If the states are allowed to procure vaccines from other manufacturers as well, a large population would be covered in a shorter time and help reduce the impact of a possible third wave," the CM siad.
He also requested that the ICMR may set the medical framework for the FDAs of each state, within which various vaccines available to the world may be procured to fight COVID-19.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
PM Modi Addresses 3rd India-Hosted Voice Of Global South Summit Will Back Any Candidate Announced As Chief Minister Face: Uddhav Thackeray PM Modi Urges Indian Olympians To Join 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' Campaign Video: Woman Tries To Jump Off Mumbai's Atal Setu, Saved By Driver, Cops Kolkata Rape-Murder Case Updates: Doctors On 24-Hour Nationwide Strike Parents Gave Names Of Interns, Doctors To CBI In Kolkata Horror: Sources PM Modi Addresses 3rd India-Hosted Voice Of Global South Summit Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah To Be Prosecuted In Land Scam Case Think Big Undergraduate Scholarship, Check Eligibility Criteria Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.