Tripura orders probe into misuse of govt funds in procuring COVID test kits

Giving details of alleged violation of central guidelines in procuring hand sanitizers, Roy Barman said NHM Mission Director placed an order for 500 ml hand sanitizers on April 09 at Rs. 359 including GST, nearly 20 days after the central guidelines arrived which

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Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb. (Express file photo)

Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb has ordered an inquiry on an allegation of misappropriation in purchase of different items under the National Health Mission (NHM) after former health minister and BJP MLA Sudip Roy Barman wrote to him alleging misuse of government funds in procuring COVID-19 kits.

In a press conference on Friday evening, cabinet spokesperson and Law Minister Ratan Lal Nath said Health Secretary Dr. Debashish Basu and National Health Mission Director Aditi Majumder were removed from their current positions.

An ‘impartial enquiry’ was instituted led by Secretary Tanushree Debbarma and Secretary Kiran Gitte to investigate and submit report at the earliest.

Roy Barman, was axed from the state cabinet in May last year, and the Chief Minister is holding health portfolio as additional charge since then.

In his letter, Roy Barman wrote, “when the entire globe has come together to fight out the invisible and vicious enemy – COVID-19, when the Union Govt. of India and other state government have pledged to fight out this enemy together, when the countrymen are generously donating in PMCARES fund and CM relief funds during this topsy-turvy situation, its really frustrating to see a section of officials are hand in glove with some traders to take advantage of this precarious situation in making money”.

Giving details of alleged violation of central guidelines in procuring hand sanitizers, Roy Barman said NHM Mission Director placed an order for 500 ml hand sanitizers with ‘Mayank Technocracy’ on April 09 at Rs. 359 including GST, nearly 20 days after the central guidelines arrived.

According to the government guidelines, the price of a 500 ML hand sanitizer shouldn’t be beyond Rs. 250.

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Barman claimed in his letter that Rs 5.45 lakh was paid in excess for supply of 5,000 such hand sanitizer bottles during the crisis of COVID-19 outbreak and lockdown.

He also said coronavirus test kits were placed at Rs. 2,912 per kit against the price of Rs. 1,150 from the previous order three days back, which led to a difference of Rs 33,83,040.

Barman added in his letter that the Health department has “miserably failed to store and make necessary data entry of the COVID-19 related stock (mask, soap, sanitizer hand wash etc.) as received from various Govt. agencies, PSUs, private bodies under their CSR activities. Those items have been misplaced and even sold by few health professionals and others..”.