Karnataka Health and Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar ruled out the possibility of withdrawing government benefits or levying penalties for people who have not taken a vaccine against COVID-19.

He was reacting to the State’s COVID-19 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) recommending withdrawal of government benefits, such as ration, pension, electricity and water supply, domestic gas cylinder and petrol or diesel, for people who have not been vaccinated.

“Experts have made this recommendation. But we cannot implement this as it will bring a bad name to the government. Instead we will motivate people to come forward and get vaccinated as it is in their own interest,” he said on December 1.

“Health personnel are going door-to-door in rural areas under the ‘Har Ghar Dastak’ programme to motivate people to get vaccinated against COVID-19,” he said.

He said there is no dearth of vaccine in Karnataka. “It is a good sign that there is an increase in the number of people coming forward to get vaccinated in Bengaluru. We appeal to people in rural areas also to come forward and get the vaccine,” he said.

The government is likely to issue an order making two-dose vaccination mandatory for use of public amenities, including Namma Metro services and buses, hotels, shopping complexes, malls and other public facilities.

Mr. Sudhakar said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai will go to Delhi on December 2 to meet the Union Health Minister to request a booster dose for health workers. “There are reports of antibodies being on the wane among healthcare workers as they were the first to get vaccinated,” he added.