Rajasthan Govt Under Fire For Medicine Purchases Without Tenders

The Rajasthan government is facing growing scrutiny over medicine procurements made without following the required tendering process.

In March 2025, the All Food and Drug Licence Holders Foundation (AFDLHF) called for an investigation into a government resolution authorizing the procurement of medicines worth ₹131 crore for government medical colleges without adhering to the regular tender process. Representative Image: Pexels

Published on:

22 Mar 2025, 4:00 pm

The Rajasthan government has been seeing its fair share of accusations regarding the purchasing of medicines without any form of tendering. Apparently, 'questioning the buying pattern,' as stated by Congress MLA Rafeek Khan during the house's budget session, was evidently a hair-raiser of sorts for the powers that be. Following this statement came that of health minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar, who divulged that emergency work found the purchase of medicines worth Rs 5 crore in the year 2024-25 without any tender process at the hands of Jodhpur's SN Medical College, while in regular tendering, drugs worth Rs 28.5 crore had been procured.

An emergency purchase, the government claims.

Khimsar justified these purchase procedures, stating that in certain instances, goods were supplied through cooperative consumer centers and Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi centers for the timely availability of critical medicines. The procurement manual also permitted local purchases below ₹10,000. He elaborated that other purchases were done through direct methods due to the urgency warranted by medical necessities.

Such irregularities will be properly investigated, with the assurance given to the assembly by Khimsar. A comprehensive report on the procurement procedure embraced will also be made available to MLA Rafeek Khan.

Large-Scale Procurement Through Tenders Continues

Despite there being direct procurement in special cases, the government stressed that the bulk of medicines and medical equipment have been procured through tenders. As per Khimsar, medicines to the tune of ₹1,366.7 crore have been procured through the tendering system until February 28, 2024, while medical equipment worth ₹110.9 crore, has been procured up to March 3. Thus, although certain supplies have been obtained outside the tendering system, the government essentially functions under normal procurement regulations.

In September 2024, Malaysia's Ministry of Health mandated the inclusion of at least two suppliers in the procurement of off-patent drugs and medical devices. The move came after investigations revealed the involvement of 13 bid-rigging cartels in government tenders worth RM2.37 billion, underscoring the risks associated with non-transparent procurement practices. Representative Image: Pexels

Major hospital projects nearing completion

Khimsar also briefed the assembly regarding two major hospital infrastructural projects in Jaipur:

Cardiac Tower at SMS Hospital - To be functional within the next 3-4 months, this dedicated cardiac tower will be providing advanced cardiac services.
28-storey IPD Tower at SMS Hospital - To be delivered by 2028, this new inpatient department (IPD) tower is meant to strengthen the hospital's capacity and enhance the delivery of patient care services.

Questions on transparency remain.

While the government insists on the dire need for emergency purchases, questions remain regarding transparency and accountability regarding medical procurement in the state of Rajasthan. With opposition leaders raising questions over it, in the coming months these purchases will definitely be scrutinized and may also expect investigation.

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Muhammad Faisal/MSM)

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