After Uttar Pradesh, it is the turn of Assam where massive irregularities — running into several crores of rupees — in purchasing Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Bed Net (LLIN) under National Rural Health Mission of Assam health department.
The NGO, National RTI Forum, a Lucknow-based civil society working in the field of transparency in governance, has presented documentary evidence to the CVC pointing that Assam paid `400 for each net, while Orissa bought the nets the same month in 2009 as the Assam government at `279 each from the Indian subsidiary of the MNC.
The NGO has pleaded for a thorough investigation under the supervision of the CVC, while suspecting a massive scam in purchase of medicated mosquito nets spread over several states, including Assam, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Orissa, Goa among others.
Assam, however, tops the list in volume of the alleged scam as it has purchased the highest number of LLINs (21 lakh) paying `400 per net, around `84.48 crores in total. In contrast, these LLINs were sold to Goa at `199 a piece.
It is significant that these LLINs were also in the thick of controversy in Assam because it was distributed to the beneficiaries just before the polls in 2010.
The Assam health department made two purchases in September and December 2010 from an intermediary Global Business Services. However, other states purchased the LLIN directly through the Indian subsidiary of the Switzerland-based manufacturers.
The state health department placed its first order (letter no. 69/2008/PT/78) dated August 27, 2010. The letter mentioned that 16.75 lakh units were to be supplied for `67 crores under the CM’s special scheme 2010-2011.
The documents provided by the NGO to this newspaper and also submitted to the CVC show that the Global Business Services entered into an agreement with Vestergaard Frandsen India Private limited to buy the LLINs at the rate of `295 per unit.
The purchase order was issued on August 30, 2010.
The second order was placed on December 18, 2010 (letter no. HSG/Mosquito/69/2010 (1500) for supply of 4,75,500 units at the same rate under the NRHM. Global Business Services bought the mosquito nets from Vestergaard Frandsen India Private Limited, this time at the rate of `285 per unit.