Govt appoints tainted agency to develop health infrastructure

The agency has been given Rs 100 crore for development of health infrastructure in 11 backward districts of Jalpaiguri,North Dinajpur,Malda,Murshidabad,Birbhum,Purulia,West Midnapore,East Midnapore,South and North 24 Parganas and Bankura.

According to documents available with The Indian Express,after the new government came to power in May 2011,it formed an inquiry committee to probe alleged financial irregularities of WBMSC. The committee submitted its report in January 2012,saying that the corporation was an utter failure of the Left front government as it has neither the rules relating to responsibilities,rights,duties and obligations of service and other benefits with respect to employees,nor does it have a recruitment policy.

The report says that the function of the corporation is to procure required facilities on behalf of Health and Family Welfare Department,and according to Companies Act 1956,a procurement agency cannot hire another procurement agency. But it was found that this corporation hired UNOPS as a procurement agent. The corporation has also not convened board meetings regularly as per law.

Senior officials of the department said that after the report was placed,it was decided that the corporation would be dissolved. However,it is yet to be dissolved and the committee’s recommendations are yet to be followed.

The board meetings are not being held and the corporation is yet to frame a well-defined and documented procurement policy to reduce irregularities.

Sanjoy Mitra,principal secretary,health,admitted that the corporation has been entrusted with augmenting infrastructure in 11 backward areas and said that the recommendations of the inquiry committee are being looked into and will be followed up soon.