top of page

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.

From Ganesh’s Blessings to Ancestral Remembrance

Pitru Paksha bridges past and present, binding families and keeping the river of remembrance flowing.

Soon after Ganesh Chaturthi, Hindus observe Pitru Paksha, a sacred fortnight honouring ancestors. This transition from Ganesh Chaturthi reflects the balance between devotion to deities and reverence for our ancestors. Life is often marked by festivals of joy, but Pitru Paksha calls for reflection. Culminating in the powerful Mahalaya Amavasya, it honours our roots and reminds us that countless lives paved the way for ours.


The origins and meaning of Pitru Paksha

“Pitru” means ancestors, and “Paksha” means fortnight. Falling in the waning moon of Bhadrapada (September–October), it is believed that during these 15 days, ancestral souls descend to receive offerings from their descendants.


Mahalaya Amavasya, the final day, is deemed most auspicious, as all ancestors are believed to accept prayers offered then.


Why do we do this? Because we are the continuation of those before us. Our bodies bear their genes, our homes their memories, and our lives their blessings. To forget them is to forget ourselves.


The Rituals

The key ritual of Pitru Paksha is Shraddha or Tarpana—offering water, sesame seeds, rice, and prayers to departed souls. Each is symbolic: water for purity, sesame for karmic cleansing, rice for nourishment, and feeding crows, cows, or the needy to extend blessings. It is less superstition than gratitude. When we feed the hungry or donate in the name of our ancestors, we are saying, "May the blessings of my forefathers continue as a chain of compassion and sustenance in this world."


The spiritual significance

Pitru Paksha is tied to Pitru Rin—the debt to our ancestors. Hindu thought speaks of three debts: Deva Rin (to divine forces), Rishi Rin (to teachers and sages), and Pitru Rin (to ancestors). Through Shraddha, we repay not with wealth but with remembrance, prayer, and gratitude. Satisfied ancestors are believed to bless us with health, harmony, wisdom, and prosperity; neglect, however, may cause Pitru Dosh—obstacles born of forgotten lineage duties.


Cultural and human essence

Beyond rituals, Mahalaya Amavasya is about gratitude and remembrance. How often do we pause to recall grandparents’ struggles, great-grandparents’ sacrifices, or values passed through generations? In a world rushing forward, Pitru Paksha reminds us: do not forget the roots while reaching for the sky. It bridges past and present, binding families and reminding children their story began long ago with those who toiled, dreamed, and prayed for their descendants.


Psychological and emotional healing

On another level, this period provides emotional healing. Many of us carry unresolved grief—loss of a parent, regret of not expressing love, memories of a loved one taken too soon. Pitra Paksha offers a collective, sacred space to release those emotions.


When we light a diya or offer food, we are not just doing a ritual—we are whispering, “I remember you. You live in me. May you be at peace.” This brings immense inner calm, closure, and strength.


Pitra Paksha Ritual Benefits

Blessings and Protection : Ancestors are believed to bless their descendants with guidance and prosperity. Removal of Obstacles Pitru Dosh is believed to be mitigated.

Inner Peace: Acts of remembrance bring emotional healing. Family Bonding Families come together in shared remembrance.


Charity and Compassion: Feeding the needy reminds us of our responsibility to society.


Passing It to the Next Generation

In today’s age, the task is not to abandon tradition but to reinterpret it. Teach Gratitude, Not Just Rituals: Say: “This is our way of thanking those who gave us life.” Simplify Practice: If full rituals aren’t possible, light a diya, offer water, or donate food—the essence matters.


Storytelling as Legacy: Share grandparents’ stories; children connect better to lived experiences than rites.


Use Analogies: Link it to Memorial Day, Remembrance Day, or Thanksgiving for relatability.


Create Family Rituals: Build a family tree, cook ancestral recipes, or share daily moments of gratitude.


In this way, we keep alive remembrance, respect, and rootedness.


Mahalaya Amavasya is more than a date—it is a philosophy. Life is a chain, not a line; we are continuations of countless lives. Gratitude to ancestors is gratitude to life itself.


In remembering them, we honour ourselves; in feeding others, we share their blessings; in teaching the next generation, we keep remembrance alive. On Mahalaya Amavasya, let us light a lamp, offer a prayer, and feed a hungry soul—not as a ritual, but as a whisper to our ancestors: “You are not forgotten. You live through me, and I pass your light forward.” Pitru Paksha is a time to honour our ancestors and seek blessings for future generations. May our ancestors' souls rest in peace, and may they continue to bless us.

(The writer is a tutor based in Thane.)

Comments

bottom of page