BS Yediyurappa government directs district authorities to share Covid-related expenses

The state government has sought expenditure and procurement details towards Covid-19 related work from all district authorities, amid opposition parties levelling corruption charges against BS Yediyurappa government in procuring equipment during the pandemic.
The revenue department, on July 15, wrote to all deputy commissioners who are also head of the district disaster management authorities to submit a signed copy of procurement details in a given format within a day.

Details are sought as per the directions of the chief secretary, the letter says. The government has listed out 14 specifics to be produced such as the item purchased, mode of procurement, purchase order, value of purchase, purchase/work order number, name of the contractor, date of awarding the tender, completion date, payment made and ascertaining the quality of work.

Revenue department principal secretary N Manjunatha Prasad said it was a “routine exercise” and the government just wanted to check on how districts including Bengaluru were spending on Covid. He said that districts had already shared procurement details.

The BJP government has come under fire after the opposition Congress and the JD(S) accused the state of large scale misappropriation in purchasing masks, personal protective equipment and testing kits. They have alleged that chief minister Yediyurappa who heads the finance department, had relaxed procurement norms, by permitting the purchase of medical equipment upto ?10 crore without calling for tender.

Opposition leader Siddaramaiah has demanded a probe into alleged misappropriation of public money in procuring equipment for pandemic control. Yediyurappa has dismissed allegations, and has thrown an open invitation to Siddaramaiah to check the documents.

Recently Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) came under the scanner after the municipal body decided to rent bed sets for Covid Care Centres at a cost much higher than the actual market rate. The BBMP withdrew the plan after the CM intervened and directed BBMP officials to purchase bed sets which would save crores of rupees to the exchequer.

Districts are spending from the state disaster response fund (SDRF) national disaster response fund (NDRF), national health mission and district mineral fund, for Covid-related work.

The money is spent on measures for institutional quarantine, contact tracing, setting up testing labs, screening and sample collection and procurement of essential equipment including PPEs, thermal scanners, ventilators and air purifiers.