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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.

Malegaon Yatra: A Grand Confluence of Devotion, Culture and Commerce

Marathwada is a land sanctified by saints and valor, and nestled within this historic region is Malegaon village in Loha tehsil of Nanded district. Malegaon hosts one of the most vibrant and culturally rich fairs in South India. Beginning on Margashirsha Amavasya, the annual Malegaon Yatra has commenced this year on Thursday (December 18) and will continue till December 25.


With a legacy spanning nearly four centuries, the Malegaon fair has held exceptional importance since the Mughal and Nizam eras. From historical times, Malegaon has been renowned as a major centre for horse trading. Even today, traders from Telangana, Karnataka and across Maharashtra converge here. The village is also home to a magnificent temple of Lord Khandoba, revered as the family deity of Maharashtra.


More than a religious gathering, the Malegaon Yatra is a celebration of folk culture. Traditional art forms such as Kalgi-Tura, Vagya-Murali performances, Gondhal and Bharud come alive here. Tamasha and Lavani remain the main attractions, with renowned Tamasha troupes engaging in spirited performances.


Unlike many fairs limited to temple visits, the Malegaon Yatra offers much more. Agricultural exhibitions, traditional wrestling bouts and, most importantly, a massive livestock exhibition define its unique character. Thousands of animals are traded during the fair, making it the second-largest horse market in India after Rajasthan’s Pushkar Fair. Lakhs of devotees of all religions participate with equal enthusiasm, making the Yatra a powerful symbol of social harmony.


The fair serves as the backbone of the rural economy. Within just five to seven days, business worth several crores of rupees is transacted. Premium breeds of horses such as Chetak, Marwari and Punjabi attract astonishing prices. A significant donkey market also thrives here, drawing brick kiln owners and traders from other states. In addition, camels, bullocks, cows, goats and sheep are traded in large numbers. Agricultural weapons and food items witness brisk sales as well.


In times of distress, the fair provides vital economic support to farmers. Money earned from livestock sales is reinvested into agriculture. Farmers gain exposure to new seeds and modern farming technologies, while the fair also generates employment for local labourers. Earlier, agricultural goods were exchanged through the barter system; today, transactions are conducted in cash and via UPI. Where devotees once arrived in bullock carts, four-wheelers now line the roads, signs of changing times. The Malegaon Yatra truly stands as a symbol of rural prosperity and cultural grandeur.


Amid chants of ‘Yelkot Yelkot Jai Malhar’ and showers of turmeric, the annual Yatra commenced with great enthusiasm and traditional rituals. The ceremonial Dev Swari and palanquin worship marked the auspicious beginning of the fair. Lakhs of devotees gathered to witness and seek blessings during the palanquin procession on Thursday. As per tradition, the district administration welcomed the palanquins of Lord Khandoba and the designated Manakaris at the government rest house. Following the afternoon worship, the grand Dev Swari was taken out, during which the Manakaris were formally honoured.


The ceremony was attended by Cooperation Minister Balasaheb Patil, Minister of State Meghna Bordikar, MLA Prataprao Patil Chikhalikar, ZP CEO and Administrator Meghna Kavali.


The palanquin bearers and traditional custodians, including Ganpatrao Malhari Naik, Govindrao Nageshrao Maharaj, Venkatrao Marotirao Pandagle, Khushal Bhagwanrao Bhosikar, Govindrao Babarao Naikwade, Pandurang Narayanrao Patil, Malhari Raosahab Patil, Vijaykumar Shankarrao Kanakdande and Ambadas Khanderao Jahagirdar, were felicitated by the ZP.


The presence of Vagya-Murali devotees, Potraj performers filled the atmosphere with devotion. Thousands gathered to witness the intense and symbolic rituals performed by Vagya-Murali devotees in traditional attire.


The fairgrounds are now lined with stalls selling religious items, bullock ornaments, and various goods, while giant sky wheels have emerged as major attractions. This year, the ZP has implemented a plastic-free and clean fair initiative, supported by meticulous planning. Robust CCTV surveillance has been installed for security, and comprehensive healthcare arrangements have been made by the district health department to ensure the safety and well-being of devotees.


As the Malegaon Yatra unfolds, it once again reaffirms its place as a grand confluence of faith, culture and rural life.


(The writer is a journalist based in Latur. Views personal.)

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