PANAJI: The government last week disbanded a joint purchase committee constituted during the first wave of the pandemic last year.
The public health department, which issued the order, has directed the Goa Medical College (GMC) and Hospital and the directorate of health services (DHS) to henceforth make all emergency purchases pertaining to Covid-19 through the government e-marketplace (GeM) portal or by following the regular tendering process.
GMC dean Dr S M Bandekar and director of health services Dr Jose D’Sa were among the members of the now defunct committee that had made all emergency purchases — including of medicines and other requirements — for both, the GMC and the DHS, over the past year.
“Henceforth, even if it is an emergency purchase, both entities will have to follow the process outlined by the government,” a health official who confirmed the disbandment of the joint purchase committee, said.
“The government felt that since we have passed the Covid-19 peak and there are no shortages as experienced earlier, purchases should be routed through the regular process.
They (GMC and DHS) can plan and buy medicines and other requirements in advance.” Disclosing that there is a big difference in the rates quoted by suppliers enrolled on the GeM portal and by those who are not on it, the official said that even if emergency purchases are justified and are made without obtaining the concurrence of the finance department in order to avoid delays, trouble arises when fingers are pointed at them for bypassing the normal process.
“It is better to avoid problems later when audit queries are received.
There will be transparency.
This was also the requirement of the finance department,” the official said and added that purchases through the GeM portal are in fact more expeditious, prompting many states to rely on it.
“The portal offers transparency and the rates are competitive too.
Goa perhaps is the only state that does not rely on the GeM portal,” the official said.