<span style="color: #222222;">Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has sought consensus among the states on COVID-19 vaccine procurement. In a letter to his counterparts in all other states today, Mr Patnaik has said, while many states have floated global tenders including Odisha for COVID-19 vaccine procurement, it is quite clear that the global vaccine manufacturers are looking forward to the union government for clearances and experiences. He said, they are not willing to get into supply contracts with the state governments. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Underlining the importance of vaccination to protect the people, Mr Patnaik said, no state is safe unless all states adopt vaccination as the topmost priority and execute it on a war footing. He said, the best option available is for the Government of India to centrally procure vaccines and distribute it among the states to vaccinate their citizens at the earliest. Stating that perhaps after the Indian independence struggle this is the greatest challenge we have faced together as a nation, the Odisha Chief Minister Mr. Patnaik has called for working in the true spirit of cooperative federalism to save precious lives and hard earned livelihoods.</span><br />''  <br />