To prevent polio from a few countries, President Pranab Mukherjee launched the pulse polio programme for 2017.
He launched it by administering polio drops on Saturday to children below five years at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The programme will cover 17 crore children aged under five years to maintain the country's 'polio-free' status.
Mukherjee launched the countrywide programme on the eve of the National Immunisation Day.
Health Minister J P Nadda and Ministers of State for Health Anupriya Patel and Faggan Singh Kulaste were present during the event.
As the risk of importation remains from remaining three countries (Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria) where polio virus is still circulating, the need still persists for the country to maintain the population immunity.
Also needed is sensitive surveillance till global polio eradication happens,.
Polio-free certification of the entire South-East Asia Region of World Health Organisation, including India, on March 27, 2014 is commendable.
