West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday said the state government would be providing free COVID vaccine to the people and necessary arrangements are being made in this regard.

Months ahead of the assembly elections and the nationwide rollout of the vaccine from January 16, in an open letter, Banerjee said on priority basis access to the vaccination would be for COVID warriors, including police, home guards, civil defence volunteers, correctional home and disaster management employees.

"I am happy to inform that our government is making arrangements for reaching the vaccine to all people of the state free of any charge," the chief minister said.

Furthermore, the chief minister expressed her gratitude to all frontline workers and COVID warriors for their service in the state.

Besides, Bengal, Kerala and Bihar have also made similar announcements of providing free vaccine to the state.