Early Times Report
Jammu, Feb 24: The state vigilance commission (SVC), taking a strong note of extending undue favours and benefits to a private diagnostic centre in allotment of contracts allegedly by the authorities of government medical college (GMC), Jammu, in derogation of prescribed procedure and norms thereto, has sought report from secretary of health and medical education department.
SVC, while proceeding on a complaint lodged against the GMC principal in connection with unjustified favours and gains made in favour of Krsna Diagnostic Private Ltd for supply, installation, operation, maintenance and running of various diagnostic facilities in the medical college on Public-Private Partnership (PPP) basis, without consent of HODs, experts and the purchase committee as required, had directed the vigilance organisation (VO) for a preliminary inquiry in the light of allegations.
In the VO report submitted to SVC, it was revealed that prescribed fee charged from patients by Krsna Diagnostic Centre, instead of going to the hospital fund, was directly taken by the private firm. The hospital premises and electricity being provided to it is given free of charge, but the "Profit Generated" is not being shared with the government hospital unlike the practice of sharing profits under PPP mode in vogue in the state of Himachal Pradesh and other states. Keeping in view that there is apprehension of enormous loss to the state exchequer by the method of non sharing of profits between the private diagnostic centre and the government hospital, SVC sought report from the secretary of health and medical education department.
The report furnished by the department before SVC has many unanswered questions. SVC in order to unveil the matter has directed the secretary to submit a detailed and comprehensive report to it by March 16 next. —JNF |
