Goa govt put in dock over tender delays for medicine purchase

The Opposition today cornered the Goa state government in the Legislative Assembly for failure to provide medicines in state-run hospitals due to delay in tendering process for purchases.
Former Health minister and Congress MLA Vishwajit Rane, raising the issue during the ongoing Assembly session, said the tendering process to buy the medicines was a "scam" and demanded a judicial inquiry into it.
He pointed out that 13 corrigendums were issued to a tender document to favour one particular person.
State Health Minister Francis D'Souza admitted on the floor of the House that the tendering process has been "dragged" since July 2014 and was finally given approval on March 3, 2015.

D'Souza, who took over the portfolio from Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar just three months back, failed to defend the department over the delay in purchases.
Parsekar said that the tender was delayed as for the first time purchases from Goa medical college, directorate of health services and dental colleges were combined.
"We realised that in the past all three entities were purchasing medicines individually. Due to this, one medicine was being purchased at three different rates. We went for combined purchases to counter the price differences," he said.
The Opposition benches, however, were not happy with the reply who questioned the frequently released corrigendums for this tender.