RULES TO OBTAIN KITS FOR COVID RELIEF RELAXED

The state government on Saturday issued an order relaxing certain provisions of Article 125 of the Telangana State Financial Code to be able to procure diagnostic, surgical and other medical equipment, drugs and pharmaceutical and other essential services and related supplies on priority for undertaking Covid-19 relief operations.

According to Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, the prevailing health emergency would require this. Any delays in procurement would result in loss of lives and hence, there is a paramount public interest in ensuring that the necessary goods, services and supplies are procured in the quickest possible manner and the procurement procedures have to be adapted.

The government order stipulates that the procurement may in the first instance be made either from suppliers already empanelled on rate contract or through the government e-marketplace (GEM), if they meet the required time lines and quantities.

If the procurement from a supplier is not possible under the above provision, it may be undertaken from any other source, either at the rate contract or GEM rates, or at rates deemed reasonable by the medical and health department, duly recording the nonfeasibility of procurement under the first sources and reasonableness.

Procurement may simultaneously be undertaken from more than one source, if the entire quantity required is not feasible from a single source.

In such cases, the rates of the goods and services may also be different for different sources.

Procurement from a single source may be resorted to, if in the medical and health department’s assessment only that particular firm is the manufacturer of the required goods and services due to reasons of availability and timely supplies in the prevailing emergency conditions.

The term essential supplies will include any items deemed appropriate by the department necessary for Covid-19 relief operations and this has to be recorded.

The competent authority for making the procurements shall duly record the reasons for invoking the special relaxations permitted under this order in respect of such procurement.

The relaxations permitted under this order shall be in force from March 14 till May 31 or any date as may be prescribed by the government through subsequent orders.

PROCUREMENT FROM a single source may be resorted to, if in the medical and health department’s assessment only that particular firm is the manufacturer of the required goods and services due to reasons of availability and timely supplies in the prevailing emergency conditions.