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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.

When Divine Wisdom Meets the Call of Spring

In India, festivals are not just celebrations; they are living expressions of faith, nature, and inner transformation.

India is a land where spirituality and nature walk hand in hand, where festivals are not merely dates on a calendar but living expressions of faith, seasons, and inner transformation. Among such deeply symbolic celebrations are Maghi Ganpati and Basant Panchami—two sacred observances that, though distinct in origin, harmoniously converge in spirit. Together, they represent the awakening of wisdom, the removal of obstacles, and the blossoming of knowledge, creativity, and new beginnings.


Maghi Ganpati

The auspicious presence of the remover of obstacles, Maghi Ganpati, is observed during the holy month of Magha. The festival holds immense importance in many parts of India, especially Maharashtra. This year it is observed on 22nd January. Lord Ganesha, revered as Vighnaharta—the remover of obstacles—and Buddhi Pradata—the bestower of wisdom—is worshipped on this day with special devotion.


Unlike the grand public celebrations of Ganesh Chaturthi, Maghi Ganpati is more introspective and spiritually intense. Devotees wake up early, perform ritual baths, and offer prayers seeking clarity, stability, and success. The idol of Ganesha during Maghi is often shown in a calm, meditative form, symbolising inner balance and thoughtful decision-making.


Maghi Ganpati reminds us that obstacles are not always external; many lie within—fear, doubt, hesitation, and ego. By invoking Ganesha during Magha, devotees seek not just material success but the wisdom to walk the righteous path with humility and confidence.


Basant Panchami

Basant Panchami marks the arrival of spring, a season of renewal, warmth, and hope. Celebrated on the fifth day (Panchami) of the bright fortnight of Magha, this festival is dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, the Goddess of Knowledge and the embodiment of learning, art, music, and intellect. This year, it is observed on 23 January.


Nature itself participates in the celebration—fields glow with mustard flowers, trees begin to bloom, and the air carries a gentle optimism. Yellow, the colour of energy, knowledge, and prosperity, dominates attire, offerings, and food. From students placing their books before the goddess to artists and musicians seeking inspiration, Basant Panchami is a celebration of creative awakening.


It is believed that Saraswati blesses her devotees with clarity of speech, sharp intellect, and refined artistic sensibility. For children, this day often marks the Vidyarambh—the beginning of formal education—making it a cornerstone of intellectual and spiritual growth.


Sacred Confluence

Wisdom begins with the removal of obstacles. When Maghi Ganpati and Basant Panchami are viewed together, a deeper philosophical harmony emerges. Before knowledge can flourish, obstacles must be cleared. Before creativity can bloom, mental blocks must dissolve. Lord Ganesha prepares the ground, and Goddess Saraswati sows the seeds of wisdom.


Ganesha grounds us, stabilising our minds and helping us overcome resistance. Saraswati governs higher consciousness—speech, intellect, and creative expression. Together, they guide an individual from foundation to fulfilment.


One teaches us to pause and reflect; the other encourages us to flow and create.


Spiritual Renewal

Magha is traditionally considered a month of purification—both of the body and the soul. Rivers are revered, fasting is observed, and charitable acts are encouraged. The combined observance of Maghi Ganpati and Basant Panchami during this period multiplies the theme of renewal.


Just as spring cleanses the earth of winter’s stagnation, these festivals invite us to shed old habits, negative thoughts, and emotional burdens. They inspire us to begin anew—with wisdom, courage, and optimism.


Modern Life

In today’s fast-paced world, Maghi Ganpati and Basant Panchami hold timeless relevance. Students seek focus, teachers seek clarity, professionals seek wise decision-making, and families seek harmony. These festivals remind us that true success is a balance of intellect and intuition, planning and creativity, and effort and grace.


They encourage us to slow down, reconnect with our inner selves, and align our actions with a higher purpose. In doing so, they transform routine living into mindful existence.


Stillness to Bloom

As we bow to Lord Ganesha and seek the blessings of Goddess Saraswati, may our lives be free of obstacles, rich in wisdom, and vibrant with creativity—just like the golden spring that Basant Panchami so joyfully announces.


Happy Maghi Ganpati and Basant Panchami to you.


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

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