Maharashtra Oppn demands probe in NaCOF land allotment case
The agro cooperative firm allotted space in hospitals to sell generic drugs, without bidding.
2 min read
"It is clear from the news published that this decision was an abuse of power. No tenders were issued, and the decision was based solely on a letter from BJP MLC Pravin Darekar," said NCP's Baramati MP Supriya Sule. (Express archive)
The Opposition on Friday demanded a probe, under a retired Justice, on how the Maharashtra government has allotted space in every government or semi-government hospital in the state — run by local civic bodies to agro-cooperative National Federation of Farmers’ Procurement, Processing and Retailing Cooperatives of India Limited (NaCOF) — without a tendering process or open market bidding to allow the organisation to set up shops to sell generic medicines.
This came a day after The Indian Express published a report on the matter.
“It is clear from the news published that this decision was an abuse of power. No tenders were issued, and the decision was based solely on a letter from BJP MLC Pravin Darekar. It clearly proves the irregularities, and the whole process must be probed by a committee under the retired Justice,” said NCP’s Baramati MP Supriya Sule.
Sule also said that as per the government order, people should now get medicines for free. “Not only this… but the government has also ordered not to allot government hospital land to anyone. These (government) orders have been violated as the patients are forced to buy medicines from these shops,” said Sule, adding that a few companies should not be allowed to prosper at the cost of the state’s health infrastructure.
Questioning the government’s decision, Vijay Wadettiwar, leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, said, “Is the government creating a system that will benefit only a few, while forcing patients to buy medicines even when the government claims to be providing them for free?”
“Why is it that the government is now allowing OTs hospitals to open shops inside their premises?” asked Ambadas Danve, leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Council, while mentioning that the state government has been promising free medicines to patients from government hospitals.
This government decision was taken by the Urban Development Department (UDD), under state Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, on February 2 this year, following a letter sent by BJP MLC Pravin Darekar on September 26, 2022. In the letter, Darekar had reminded Shinde about the proposal sent by NaCOF on January 28, 2020, when Shinde was UDD minister in the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.
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