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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.

Lord Krishna: Ancient Wisdom, Timeless Teacher

Lord Krishna's birth is a reminder that divine intervention occurs to restore balance and justice in the world, particularly when evil prevails.

Krishna Janmashtami is a Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna. It is celebrated and observed on the eighth day (Ashtami) of the dark fortnight (Krishna Paksha) in Shravana Masa. This year it is observed on 15th August. On the preceding day of his birth, devotees fast and stay awake until midnight, the traditional hour of his birth. Then the image of Lord Krishna is bathed in water and milk, dressed in new clothes, placed in a small cradle decorated with leaves and flowers, and worshipped. Sweets are offered to the divine and then consumed as prasada (the god's leftovers, which carry his favour) by all the household members.


Significance of Krishna's birth

Restoration of dharma: His birth is a divine response to the decline of dharma and the rise of injustice and tyranny. It also signifies the triumph of righteousness over evil.


Guidance and wisdom: His teachings offer profound knowledge and wisdom on living a meaningful life, fulfilling one's duties, being detached from attachments, and thus achieving spiritual liberation.


Symbol of love and devotion: His mystical and mesmerising aura draws devotees towards his playfulness and teachings.


Relevance of his teachings in today's times: His teachings remain highly relevant to the current times because of the emphasis on duty, ethics, and personal growth. In a world that is often engulfed with stress, uncertainty, and dilemma, his insights offer great guidance on navigating life's complexities and finding inner peace.


Duty and action: Krishna emphasises performing one's duties without any attachment to the results. This phenomenon is incredibly relevant in the current time, where we are all in an 'in'-driven world, where stress is the sole outcome. He says that no one should run away from relationships, but developing a sense of detachment reduces the fear of failure and loss and builds excellence within. Maintaining healthy boundaries without hatred and indifference is very important. The core is to be in the world but not to be entangled in it.


Selflessness and Compassion: He highlights selfless service and compassion towards every creature. In a world characterised by self-interest, his teachings can be a powerful guide towards a more meaningful and fulfilled existence.


Mindfulness and presence: He emphasises living in the present moment, which is a tool to handle anxiety, depression, and fear. This enables us to cultivate inner peace, overcome fear, and make more conscious decisions.


Control of the mind: The mind can be our greatest and worst enemy. His teachings say that by learning to manage emotions, we can achieve peace, personal growth, and resilience.


Embracing change: He talked about the impermanence of life and the inevitability of challenges. Once we understand this truth, our approach towards life will change, which helps us to adapt to new situations and challenges with greater ease and acceptance.


Faith in a higher plan: When efforts don't give immediate results, we lose hope. He tells us to surrender our ego and have faith in divine timing. This is the secret to peace, dignity, liberation, and a blissful life.


Importance of wisdom and knowledge: He stresses the importance of seeking wisdom and knowledge. A deeper understanding of oneself and the world can lead to better decision-making and a structured life.


Finding purpose and direction: His teachings offer guidance on finding purpose in life, which is a need in today's modern world. It helps to get a clear direction and to set higher goals towards fulfilment. His emphasis on one's unique path instead of imitating others fosters authenticity and personal growth. Krishna is not just a figure of ancient times. He is a timeless guide. His life is filled with love, playfulness, sacrifices, wisdom, and knowledge that teach everyone to live with dignity and grace. His message of duty, devotion, and inner joy resonates with today's time and continues to inspire hearts across the world. In the end. Krishna is not just someone we worship. He is someone we awaken within Happy Krishna Janmashtami to everyone. May Lord Krishna bless all of us. May his teachings help us create a balanced, blissful life. Hare Krishna!

 

(The writer is a tutor based in Thane. Views personal.)

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