The Union finance ministry has given special exemption to central government departments from following set procedures to facilitate quicker procurement and transportation of medical and essential supplies from other countries to help tackle the covid-19 pandemic.
The department of expenditure in the finance ministry exempted the department of pharmaceuticals, ministry of health and family welfare, ministry of textiles, department of consumer affairs, and the ministry of civil aviation from the General Financial Rules, which compiles public procurement principles for central government departments.
“Being a national health emergency of unprecedented and historic scale, delays in procurement will result in loss of lives of citizens. Hence, there is a paramount public interest in ensuring that the necessary supplies are procured in the fastest possible manner and financial procedures have to adapt accordingly,” the finance ministry said in a notification on 27 March.
The prevailing health emergency requires immediate procurement of certain items in quantities that may not be available with a single supplier and within the time frame in which they are needed, the ministry said. “There is also a possibility that some items may not be available in the country in sufficient quantity within the time frame in which they are needed.
Certain items of equipment are in global short supply and are effectively in a ‘sellers’ market’. There are also variations in specifications within the same category of item and price differences may sometimes reflect differences in specifications or quality. With the shutting down of international flights and surface transport routes, international procurement may have to be done through Indian missions,” it said.
