Maharashtra State Cooperative Consumer Federation Ltd allows chemist shops to function in government hospitals without inviting tenders.
None of the government hospitals are permitted to operate a chemist shop inside the hospital premises and a proceeding of this case is going on in the Bombay High court. The Maharashtra government had permitted hospitals to open only a xerox shop and STD/PCO booth inside the premises. This initiative will allow patients to take a photocopy of important documents.
Recently three directors of the Maharashtra State Co-operative Consumer Federation Ltd has decided to operate chemist shops inside Hospitals like, JJ, St George, GT and Cama hospital.
According to AAP state executive committee member Ravi Srivastava, “The plea taken by them was a government resolution (GR) which arbitrarily permitted such shops to function in cancer Hospitals of Aurangabad and Nagpur. Both these hospitals are located more than three kilometres away from city and had no medical store was situated in the vicinity.
He alleged that medical shops are being permitted to function in Mumbai even though more than 10 to 15 shops are located near the hospitals in the city.
The Federation had scrupulously engaged a third party named Krushna Medical and surgicals of Pune and entered into an agreement with them to operate Medical stores in the above mentioned hospitals in the city. They have been given the sole rights to operate the medical stores in the hospitals.
This is a clandestine activity, since no competitive bids, or tenders were invited for operation of medical shops.
“We apprehend that money has changed hands between the Federation and Pune party for this out of the way agreement without following mandatory procedures. The Federation followed such process of tendering for Generic Drugs’ recently by posting it on their website” said Mr Srivastava.
The Krushna Medical is offering only 5 per cent discount while outside chemist shops are already offering 10 per cent discount.
“Somebody stands to gain out of this arrangement as there is something fishy about it. A probe needs to be conducted about why Krushna medicals is overcharging customers. Morever, the federation should also invite tenders for starting medical shops” added Mr Srivastava.
There is an alleged nexus between some politicians from the ruling party and opposition for having an agreement with the Pune Party.
