https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Giving USA Competition In Vaccine Incentives

In Arunachal Pradesh’s Lower Subansiri District’s Yazali Block officer, Tashi Wangchhu Thongdok is providing 20 kilograms of rice as an incentive for people to get vaccinated.
Indian Masterminds Stories

The United States of America has vaccinated over 70 percent of its population against Covid-19 infection. A major factor being cited for such stupendous success of their vaccination program is President Joe Biden’s offer of free beer and a free ticket to the $1million lottery to every person taking vaccine shot. Australian PM Scott Morrison too has been offering complimentary beer in certain pubs for vaccine jabs. India might not have started any such scheme, but Tashi Wangchhu Thongdok has started his own incentive scheme to improve vaccination density.

Mr. Tashi is not a very high-ranking officer but his innovative thinking has been bringing smiles to the faces of both the people and the administration. He is the circle officer of the Yazali block in Arunachal Pradesh and has been doling out 20 Kg free rice to every person volunteering for Covid-19 vaccination.

Let’s first find out where is Yazali on India’s map. In the easternmost state of the country, Arunachal Pradesh, Lower Subansiri is one of the 25 districts having its headquarters at Ziro. The district has a population of 83,030 and is divided into eight different blocks, with each block assigned to a circle officer who takes care of the people’s needs in his region.

Circle officer of Yazali block, Mr. Tashi Wangchhu Thongdok has surprised many by his innovative thinking in protecting and treating people from the Covid-19 pandemic. And that included offering various incentives to promote vaccination in his block. In an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds, the officer talked about his incentive-giving idea in detail.

A lady walking away with 20 kgs of rice after getting vaccinated

FREE RICE FOR THE VACCINATED

In a block meeting, Mr. Thongdok observed that majority of people of his district were reluctant to get vaccinated due to a lack of awareness and skepticism. He wanted to get vaccinated as many people as possible in the soonest possible time.

To do so, he realized that he will have to provide an incentive to people so that they come out in large numbers and take the vaccine. Therefore, he selected a particular week and circulated a notice that anybody who volunteered for vaccination during that week, will receive 20 kilograms of free rice from the authorities.

Vaccination drive in the block

REACHING FAR FLUNG AREAS

In the first three days, the staff was able to vaccinate 95 individuals as it was raining continuously and the vaccination centers became inaccessible to people living in extremely remote areas. When the rain ceased a bit, the administration decided to reach the people living in areas so remote that the residents were unable to come and get the vaccine.

“I provided 10 kilograms of rice to each person that we visited at their home. Furthermore, I created awareness among them regarding vaccination and tried to make them understand that we shouldn’t believe everything that is regulated on social media. They were also told about the positive aspects of the vaccine,” stated the officer.

Car laden with sacks of rice for distribution in remote areas

FURTHER INCENTIVE

On the fifth day of the ‘incentive campaign,’ the officer was able to vaccinate about 70 individuals and was able to increase the vaccination percentage. The entire first campaign saw the vaccination of over 160 individuals.

After a week, when the scheme came to its end, Mr. Thongdok came up with another well-thought scheme wherein he announced financial incentive and a certificate of appreciation from the Deputy Commissioner and District Medical Officer, to all the people of the village that succeeds in 100% vaccination in all age categories.

The second campaign is going on in full swing in the block, at present.

The officer raising awareness among people

COOPERATION OF PEOPLE

The Yazali block that Mr. Thongdok is administering contains a population of 10,000 people. To save all of them from getting infected with the virus, the officer announced a strict full lockdown in the entire block.

He, along with his team, traveled through rice fields, visited the farmers and people working on land and raised awareness about the benefits of lockdown. He also set up vaccination camps in the field itself and vaccinated people on the spot.

The officer and his team visited fields for vaccination

“Thankfully, the people were very cooperative and abided by the rules. We did a mass testing in the region to check if the virus has taken its roots here, about which some people were also reluctant but through appropriate awareness, we were able to smoothly make our way through,” Mr. Thongdok told Indian Masterminds.

Soon, the district will complete its course and will vaccinate all the people above 18 years of age.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Union Bank of India UBI
Unprecedented: Centre Removes Union Bank ED Pankaj Dwivedi, Reverts Him to GM Post Amid Pending Allegations
IAS Officers Indian Administrative Services
UP: Govt Issues Designation Orders for 4 Senior IAS Officers as Additional Chief Secretaries - Check Names Here
BHEL Cost Management Award
BHEL Wins Prestigious ICMAI National Award for Excellence in Cost Management 2024 in Manufacturing-Public-Mega Category
Rajeev Krishna
UP: DGP Rajeev Krishna Announces Weekly Off for Policemen Amid Force Expansion, Focus on Both Welfare & Law & Order - Details Inside
ias ashish chauhan Uttarakhand
Who Is IAS Ashish Chauhan, Newly Appointed CEO of UCADA & Sports Director in Uttarakhand? Here's What You Should Know
Parliament Of India
Controversy Brews Over Motion to Remove Justice Shekhar Yadav: Signature Verification Pending for Kapil Sibal, Others
29791621_929506520563548_3507233946906658050_n
CAT Overrules Centre: Tribunal Reverses Centre’s Order, Sends IAS Amrapali Kata Back to Telangana
BEL PSU
Bharat Electronics (BEL) & VVDN Technologies Forge Strategic Alliance for Indigenous Devt of Wi-Fi and 5G Networking Systems
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Former Diplomat Ashok Sajjanhar
Iran Is Weakest Now, Needs a Face-Saver
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-23 at 12.39
Retired Officers Lead 7-Day Mission to Revive Betwa River with 55 Check Dams | Video Interview
Inderjit Singh Interview Plane Crash
What ill-fated pilots of AI171 may have gone through in those 40 seconds before the crash? Intro:
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Sanish Kumar Singh
“If you want it badly enough, you’ll find a way,” Sanish Kumar Singh AIR 8, UPSC IFS 2024 
The real interview, he says, was much more humane. “The board was conversational. The chairman opened...
Raju Wagh
When the Battlefield Became a Study Room and a Dream Took Flight
Amid IED blasts and anti-Maoist operations in Bastar, CRPF Commando Raju Wagh taught village kids, studied...
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-18 at 10.31
"I Just Wanted to Breathe Again": The Man Who Fought Death and Made It to UPSC
Struck by COVID at the peak of his UPSC prep, Devanand Telgote spent months on ECMO, unsure he'd live,...
Social Media
Tigress Arrowhead
The End of an Era: A Queen Falls - Ranthambore’s Iconic Tigress Arrowhead (T-84) Passes Away at 14, Hours After Daughter’s Relocation
Ranthambore mourns the loss of one of its fiercest and most beloved tigers, Arrowhead, the granddaughter...
Screenshot 2025-06-13 194001
Wild Elephant Disrupts Riverside Picnic, Sparks Debate on Human Encroachment; IFS Parveen Kumar Shares the Video - Watch Here!
Mr. Kaswan used the viral video, which has garnered over 1.5 lakh views, to highlight the risks of human...
Tiger jump Sundarban
Stunning Viral Video Shows Royal Bengal Tiger Making Spectacular 30-Foot Leap Across River in Sunderbans - See It Here
Retired Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Susanta Nanda shared the clip online, which quickly went...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Union Bank of India UBI
Unprecedented: Centre Removes Union Bank ED Pankaj Dwivedi, Reverts Him to GM Post Amid Pending Allegations
IAS Officers Indian Administrative Services
UP: Govt Issues Designation Orders for 4 Senior IAS Officers as Additional Chief Secretaries - Check Names Here
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Former Diplomat Ashok Sajjanhar
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-23 at 12.39
Inderjit Singh Interview Plane Crash
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT