New Delhi, Jan 31 President Pratibha Devi Singh Patil has inaugurated the launch of Pulse Polio campaign on Saturday at Rashtrapati Bhawan.

To mark the National Immunization Day, she administered oral polio drops to five children below five years.

Speaking on the occasion, the Union Health and Family Welfare Minister, Ambumani Ramadoss said that India would be polio-free within next two years, as 33 out of 35 states and union territories are already polio-free.

"Last year 566 polio cases have been reported as against over one lakh fifty thousand such cases some years ago. 540 out of 566 polio cases are from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar," he said.

The minister said the government is trying to evolve methods and methodologies to re strengthen the programme for eradication of polio cases in both the states. (ANI)