The certificate of vaccination has Prime Minister Narendra Modi's photo for a specific reason of creating awareness, minister of state for health Bharati Pravin Pawar informed the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday in a written reply. The minister also said that the format of the vaccine certificate is in compliance with that of the World Health Organization. In the Upper House of Parliament, the minister was asked whether it is necessary and compulsory to print photographs of the prime minister on the Covid vaccination certificate. "All states and Union Territories are using Cowin application for Covid-19 vaccination and vaccination certificates are generated through Cowin in a standard format," the minister said. PM Modi's photo on the vaccine certificate stirred up a political controversy following which several state governments issued vaccine certificates with state chief ministers' photos on them when states were buying vaccine from the Centre.

Source: Hindustan Times August 10, 2021 17:31 UTC