Health Ministry Releases The Names Of World Bank Assisted Health Programme
The details of World Bank assistance for health sector programmes to different states during the period 1997-2003 was given out be the health ministry on Friday. This information was given by the Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare, Smt. Panabaaka Lakshmi in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.
With regard to alleged kickbacks to former Orissa Health Minister and other officials, it is stated that the Detailed Information Report of the World Bank indicated that a firm has admitted paying INR 500,000 (USD 11,000) to the Orissa State Minister of Health and other ministry officials to facilitate the payment of INR 2.5 million (USD 55,500) in non-Bank-funded invoices. The Government of India has taken up this matter with the State Government and the Government of Orissa has entrusted this matter for investigation to its Vigilance Department, which has ordered a full-fledged vigilance inquiry on 24.1.2008 to look into all the irregularities pointed out in the World Bank report.
World Bank assisted Health Systems Development Projects in different States during the period 1997-2003
Source-PIB
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1 comments:
Unearthing the Orissa Health Scam
This investigation itself is a BIG SHAM. To protect the lousy politicians, people who have struggled all their life with 10,000 rupees salaries have been made the scape-goats. If the World Bank is really interested in pursuing the matter, then it should continue to press for the original charges against the minister. Haven't we seen how politicians continue to rule the roost and poor officials are made the scape-goats. When will we have transparency in the way we conduct investigations? I suppose, only when the rotten apples called the Indian politicians are taken to task. I blame the media too - what gets fed by the politicians is digested comfortably by these guys. It is NOT NECESSARY to select L1 in any bid process. There are qualification criteria in every tender and if the process was so open, with six officials as members, wouldn't they be making money out of every deal as a team? The Orisaa government should make available all the documents related to this deal and all of us will realize that the entire vigilance report is but a sham. Come on Mr. Navin Pattnaik, come clean on this - don't blame the officials who worked tirelessly and with meagre salaries. All of us have to one day face the God. Truth will prevail here but till then all of us can expect these seven officials to run from pillar to post, begging the same politicians who framed them up. India, JAGO. Let us work towards transparency. Let us be able to distinguish right and wrong.
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