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By:

Rajendra Joshi

3 December 2024 at 3:50:26 am

Procurement first, infrastructure later

Procurement at multiples of market price; equipment before infrastructure; no accountability Kolhapur: Maharashtra’s Medical Education and Public Health Departments have been on an aggressive drive to expand public healthcare infrastructure. Daily announcements of new centres, advanced equipment and expanded services have reassured citizens long denied dependable public healthcare. Procurement of medical equipment, medicines and surgical supplies is reportedly being undertaken at rates two to...

Procurement first, infrastructure later

Procurement at multiples of market price; equipment before infrastructure; no accountability Kolhapur: Maharashtra’s Medical Education and Public Health Departments have been on an aggressive drive to expand public healthcare infrastructure. Daily announcements of new centres, advanced equipment and expanded services have reassured citizens long denied dependable public healthcare. Procurement of medical equipment, medicines and surgical supplies is reportedly being undertaken at rates two to ten times higher than prevailing market prices. Basic economics dictates that bulk government procurement ought to secure better rates than private buyers, not worse. During the Covid-19 pandemic, equipment and consumables were procured at five to ten times the market rate, with government audit reports formally flagging these irregularities. Yet accountability has remained elusive. The pattern is illustrated vividly in Kolhapur. The Dean of Rajarshi Shahu Government Medical College announced that a PET scan machine worth Rs 35 crore would soon be installed at Chhatrapati Pramilaraje (CPR) Government Hospital for cancer diagnosis. But a comparable machine is available in the market for around Rs 6.5 crore. A senior cancer surgeon at a major cancer hospital in western Maharashtra, where a similar machine was recently installed, remarked that the gap between what his hospital paid and what the government is reportedly paying was enough to make one ‘feel dizzy’. The label of a ‘turnkey project’ does not adequately explain a price differential of this magnitude. High Costs CPR Hospital recently had a state-of-the-art IVF centre approved at a sanctioned cost of Rs 7.20 crore. Senior fertility specialists across Maharashtra note that even a modern IVF centre with advanced reproductive technology equipment typically costs between Rs 2.5 crore and Rs 3 crore. The state’s outlay is reportedly approaching Rs 15 crore. Equipment arrived in June 2025 and lay idle for months owing to indecision about the site. Similarly, digital X-ray machines approved for CPR Hospital and a government hospital in Nanded; available in the market for roughly Rs 1.5 crore; were reportedly procured at Rs 9.98 crore per unit. Doctors in CPR’s radiology department, apprehensive about being drawn into potential inquiries, reportedly resisted accepting the equipment. One departmental head was transferred amid disagreements over signing off on the proposal. What’s Wrong These cases point to a deeper structural failure: Maharashtra has perfected what might be called the ‘equipment first, infrastructure later’ model. In any public hospital, the administrative sequence ought to be: identify space, create infrastructure, sanction specialist posts, and only then procure equipment. Compounding the procurement paradox is a parallel policy decision. On 20 December 2025, the state government decided to introduce radiology diagnostic services through a Public-Private Partnership model (PPP). Following this, an order issued on 6 February 2026 authorised private operators to provide PET scan, MRI and CT scan services at six government medical college hospitals: in Pune, Kolhapur, Miraj, Sangli, Mumbai and Baramati. CPR already has a 126-slice CT scan machine and a 3 Tesla MRI scanner, with another CT scan proposed. If the PPP arrangement proceeds, the hospital could simultaneously run one PET scan machine, two MRI scanners and three CT scan machines. Medical experts warn this could lead to unnecessary diagnostic testing simply to keep machines occupied, thus exposing patients to excess radiation while government-owned equipment gathers dust. A similar pattern was seen during the pandemic, when the Medical Education Department spent hundreds of crores on RT-PCR machines, only to award swab-testing contracts to a private company. Many of those machines remain unused today.

Diwali: The Festival That Lights Up Hearts and Homes

Diwali whispers softly, ‘Slow down, light a lamp and let your soul shine a little brighter.’

Diwali, one of the most popular Hindu festivals, is celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervour across India. The festival, also known as Deepavali, is a five-day celebration that honours the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance.


Story behind Diwali

The story behind Diwali is associated with the Hindu epic, Ramayana. According to the epic, Diwali commemorates the return of Lord Rama, the king of Ayodhya, after a 14-year exile.


After defeating the demon king Ravana, Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya with his wife, Sita, and brother, Lakshmana. The people of Ayodhya welcomed their king by lighting diyas (earthen lamps) and decorating their homes with flowers and rangoli. This joyous occasion is celebrated as Diwali, symbolising the victory of good over evil and light over darkness.


Significance of Diwali

Diwali is a celebration of the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. The festival has significant spiritual and cultural importance, and its significance can be understood in various ways:


Victory of Good over Evil: Diwali symbolises the victory of good over evil, as Lord Rama defeated the demon king Ravana.


Light over Darkness: The festival celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, symbolising the victory of knowledge and wisdom over ignorance.


New Beginnings: Diwali marks the beginning of a new year in many parts of India, and it is considered an auspicious time for new ventures and endeavours.


Rituals and Traditions: Diwali is celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervour, and the rituals and traditions vary across different regions and cultures. Some of the common practices include:

  • Cleaning and Decorating Homes: Homes are thoroughly cleaned and decorated with diyas, rangoli, and flowers to welcome the goddess Lakshmi.

  • Lighting Diyas: Diyas are lit to dispel darkness and bring light and prosperity into the home.

  • Worshipping Goddess Lakshmi: Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped for wealth, prosperity, and good fortune.

  • Fireworks and Illuminations: Fireworks and illuminations are an integral part of Diwali celebrations, symbolising the triumph of light over darkness.

  • Family Gatherings: Diwali is a time for family gatherings and celebrations, and people come together to share sweets, gifts, and love.


Celebrations across India

Diwali, the festival of lights, celebrates the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance. Beyond its rituals and revelry, the festival holds deep spiritual and cultural significance.


But Diwali’s glow isn’t just from lamps and lights — it shines from within. As homes are cleaned and decorated, the act of decluttering becomes symbolic, reflecting a desire to clear not just physical spaces but also mental clutter. Clean surroundings, after all, inspire clean energy and a lighter mind.


Kindness and forgiveness, too, are at the heart of Diwali’s message. Letting go of grudges and old hurts brings a sense of peace that no lamp can match — it is this inner glow that truly lights up lives.


Gratitude and prayer also find a special place during the festival. A thankful heart radiates positive energy, and that quiet joy reflects in one’s face and presence. Even simple self-care rituals — a warm oil bath, an ubtan scrub, the scent of sandalwood, or the comfort of bright festive clothes — help uplift the mood and spirit. Because the real glow of Diwali does not come from makeup or lights but from a heart that feels light.


In a world that often rushes and forgets to pause, Diwali whispers softly, ‘Slow down, light a lamp and let your soul shine a little brighter.’ This Diwali let us not just illuminate our homes but also our thoughts, our words and our actions – so that wherever we go, we leave a little trail of light behind.


Happy Diwali to you!


(The writer is a tutor based in Thane.)

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