BENGALURU: Defending the state government’s decision to award a contract to Matrix Imaging Solutions Pvt Ltd, in which Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's son Dr Yathindra Siddaramaiah was a director, medical education minister Dr Sharan Prakash Patil said the government had used its discretionary power to outsource lab and diagnostic services to this firm.
Answering a question on whether the government would allow outsourcing of services even if bidders quoted rates less than the minimum set by the government, Mr Patil said that it was not a policy issue and the state government would use its discretionary power.
“If the service is in public interest, if there is a requirement and if there is financial crunch in the department, we will outsource such services. It is not a policy matter that any services in government hospitals should be outsourced based on the cost factor,” he added.
Reiterating that there was nothing wrong in awarding the contract to Matrix Imaging Solutions Pvt Ltd, Mr Patil said Victoria hospital was in dire need of MRI scanners and had placed request with the ministry.
After a pre-tender meeting, in which representatives of five companies participated, only those of two companies participated in the final bidding process. In view of a technical problem with one of the bidders, where the EMD amount was not deposited in time, the tender was awarded to Matrix Imaging Solutions Pvt Ltd, he added.
Mr Patil said, “The government would have to shell out Rs eight crores for purchasing the machine. Now, we are providing only space and patients can use the services as per rates fixed by the state government.”
