Vendors say will stop drug supply to govt hospitals, Kejriwal seeks details
THE CM HAS WRITTEN TO THE CS TO PROVIDE BY WEDNESDAY DETAILS ABOUT ALL PENDING BILLS, THE PENDENCY PERIOD AND REASONS FOR NONPAYMENT
As drug vendors threaten to stop supplies of medicines to government hospitals, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal sought details of non-payment from chief secretary MM Kutty and directed him to fix accountability of officials concerned for the delay.
Taking a stern view of the complaint by the Delhi Hospital Supplier’s Association, Kejriwal directed the CS to implement a system that ‘if payment are not made during the prescribed number of days after delivery of medicines, interest shall be paid (to suppliers) and the interest amount will be deducted from concerned officers including the HOD of that department’.
Officials said the representatives of the supplier’s association had met the CM last week.
The CM has written to the CS to provide by Wednesday morning, details about all pending bills, the pendency period and the reasons for non-payment.
“Besides, the CM directed the CS to submit a proposal by Monday putting in place a fix rate of interest to be paid to suppliers in case of delay, fixing the rate of interest at which the suppliers would be compensated and from whose (officers concerned ) salary will the interest be deducted for payment,” said an official.
“Accountability is key to good governance. Someone must be held accountable n face consequences for inefficiency or wrongdoing (sic.),” tweeted Kejriwal. The direction comes after the supplier’s association demanded systematic changes in the working of the Delhi government’s health procurement systems so that vendors’ payments are released in a time-bound manner and responsibility fixed in case of delay in payments.
“Make provision for payment of interest on any payments delayed beyond 45 days of supplies on the same lines as late supply penalties are imposed on vendors when they falter in delivery of stocks,” the association said in a written complaint to the chief minister on May 26.
The association said bills are pending for about a year despite a meeting on May 5, attended by health minister and the principal secretary (health), in which it was decided that all bills pending up to April 30 would be released by May 30, but it could not.
An official said, “The bureaucracy needs to explain the delay when the government has provided adequate funds for the purpose. And since the CS is the boss of bureaucracy in Delhi, the direction has been issued to him..