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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.

From Legend to Celebration: The Spirit of Onam

Onam is Kerala’s heartbeat, uniting people across caste, creed, and faith. Rooted in legend yet vibrant today, it reflects the warmth and richness of God’s Own Country.

Onam, Kerala’s grand harvest festival, is rooted in legend and cherished in tradition. This celebration traces back to the legend of King Mahabali, the Asura ruler loved for his wisdom, compassion, and justice. His reign was a time of abundance and equality, where none went hungry or suffered. Threatened by his growing power, the gods sought Lord Vishnu’s help. Vishnu appeared as Vamana, a Brahmin dwarf, and asked Mahabali for three paces of land. With one step, he spanned the earth; with the next, the skies; and for the third, the noble king offered his head. Vishnu pressed him to the netherworld but granted him the boon of returning once a year. Onam celebrates this homecoming, a remembrance of a golden age of prosperity, harmony, and love.


The Ten Days of Onam

Onam is not a single-day event but a grand ten-day festival, usually falling in the Malayalam month of Chingam (August–September).


This year it is celebrated from Aug 26th to September 5th. Each day has its own significance, rituals, and vibrance.


Atham – The festival begins with the preparation of the pookalam (flower carpet). The first layer is laid on this day, symbolising the arrival of King Mahabali.


Chithira – More flowers are added to the pookalam, making it more elaborate and colourful.


Chodhi – Families start shopping for new clothes and gifts, and the festive mood deepens.


Vishakam – Considered an auspicious day for markets and trade, households begin stocking items for the grand feast.


Anizham – Preparation for the Vallamkali (snake boat race) begins, one of the most exciting spectacles of Onam.


Thriketa – Families gather, and cultural programmes begin.


Moolam – Traditional art forms like Pulikali (tiger dance) and Kathakali performances are held.


Pooradam – Clay pyramids symbolising Mahabali and Vishnu are placed in homes.


Uthradam – Known as the “first Onam”, it is a day of last-minute shopping and festivity.


Thiruvonam – The main day of celebration, when families come together for prayers, feasts, games, and cultural festivities, welcoming Mahabali into their homes.


The Grandeur of Onam Celebrations

1. Pookalam – The Flower Carpets: The pookalam is a striking symbol of Onam. Families craft intricate floral designs at their doorsteps, each day larger and more colourful. The fragrance and symmetry express devotion and joy, while contests in schools and communities add to the festivities.


2. Onam Sadya – The Grand Feast: No Onam is complete without the Onam Sadya, a vegetarian feast served on banana leaves. Often spanning 20–25 dishes—from rice and sambar to pickles, papadam, and payasam—it is more than a meal; it is a sensory celebration of Kerala’s culinary heritage.


3. Vallamkali – Snake Boat Race: The Vallamkali, or snake boat race, is among the most thrilling events of Onam. Long, sleek boats rowed in unison by hundreds of oarsmen cut through Kerala’s backwaters, cheered by thousands. A breathtaking display of teamwork, strength, and unity.


4. Pulikali – The Tiger Dance: Pulikali, literally “play of the tigers”, is a colourful folk art where performers paint themselves as tigers and hunters, dancing to the beats of drums. Streets come alive with laughter and cheers as these dancers entertain the crowd, bringing energy and fun to the festival.


5. Kaikottikali and Cultural Arts: Women gather in circles to perform the graceful Kaikottikali dance, clapping rhythmically in unison. Traditional art forms like Kathakali, Kummatti Kali, and Thiruvathirakali are staged during Onam, keeping Kerala’s cultural heritage alive.


Beyond Kerala

Though rooted in Kerala, Onam is celebrated worldwide. From the Middle East to the US, Singapore to Europe, Malayalis gather to craft pookalams, share sadya, and stage cultural shows. Beyond nostalgia, Onam carries Kerala’s essence across the globe.


The Spirit of Onam

Beyond rituals and legend, Onam celebrates prosperity, unity, and equality. King Mahabali’s memory recalls a time without poverty, when love and justice ruled. Today, Onam urges us to rise above differences and foster harmony.


Onam is also a celebration of nature. Marking the end of the monsoon, Kerala’s harvest festival gives thanks for the land’s bounty. Greenery, blossoms, and fresh crops symbolise abundance and renewal.


Onam is more than a festival – it is a season, a spirit, a feeling. It is families reuniting, flowers in courtyards, children’s laughter, oars in rhythm, the sweetness of payasam, and above all, the hope that goodness returns. Each year, as Mahabali visits his land, Onam recalls the values of equality, generosity, and joy the world so needs. In the petals of the pookalam, the beat of drums, and the warmth of the sadya, Onam reminds us: prosperity is sweetest when shared.


Happy Onam!


(The writer is a tutor based in Thane.)

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