STATE TIMES NEWS
SRINAGAR: Castigating the Health Department Jammu for causing huge financial losses to the State exchequer by not implementing the Government Policy framed in 2008 for running medical fair price shops, the State Vigilance Commission (SVC has warned that the officials responsible for the willful omissions and commissions will face the action of law.
The Commission, which met under the chairmanship of the Chief Vigilance Commissioner, said that the reports obtained from the Health Department on the functioning of fair price medical shops revealed that the officers on the helm of affairs did not enter into a proper agreement and did not fix the rent rates after conducting auction as laid down in Government policy, thereby causing huge loss to the Government and benefiting the shopkeepers.
In a complaint about unauthorised running of two fair price shops in the premises of Sub-District Hospital Bishnah , it was alleged that these were allotted to Bishnah Medical Cooperative Consumer Store Ltd and Amar Bishnah Cooperative Medical Consumer Store Ltd by the Health Department in 1997 for a period of five years and the Health Department continued their illegal allotment beyond authorized period on a paltry rent, thereby giving undue benefit to the illegal allottees as both the shops are running without any authority/permission in violation of Government orders which came in force in 2008 and required proper policy of auction to be followed in allotments.
The complaint states that shops were allotted on a meager monthly rent of Rs 134 and Rs 137 respectively provided that the allotees will sell medicines etc, on no profit no loss basis, and alleged that both the allottees violated the very conditions of the agreement and are selling medicines etc as per prevailing market rates at maxim retail price aimed to earn huge profits. The authorities of health department further permitted the allottees to continue their business which they are continuing till date in violation of Govt Order no 492-HME of 2008.
Earlier, taking cognizance of a complaint filed by Surinder Sharma of village Patti district Samba against Director Health Services, Deputy Director Health Services, Jammu and BMO Bishnah, the SVC had
