Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram   

'Retain ST relief for MCH paying counter'

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM MAY 10. The controversial issue of granting Sales Tax relief for drugs procured by the paying counter at the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital has come to the fore again with several organisations raising a demand for retaining the concessions to the fair price medical store. The paying counter had turned into a refuge for poor patients by providing medicines at rates several times lesser than prices charged by private chemists.

However, the paying counter's practice of procuring bulk drugs directly from manufacturers, side-stepping the regular distributor network, had sparked off a controversy. The All Kerala Chemists and Druggists Association (AKCDA) had all along been strongly opposing the extraordinary concession granted to the paying counter in the procurement of drugs.

The Kerala Hospital Community Pharmacy Employees Association urged the Government to retain tax relief to the paying counter which was providing a huge relief to patients by supplying life-saving and other drugs at economical rates.

According to the association, the paying counter had been able to supply drugs at lower rates to the public by placing indents for medicines through the `D' form usually used by State-run hospitals.

The paying counter had been able to keep the priceline for drugs under check by procuring medicines by remitting four per cent Sales Tax and supplying the medicines to the public without any add-on levy. The difference in the prices of drugs sold through the paying counter and the open market worked out to between 20 to 60 per cent.

The association pointed out that the Government had recently revoked the ST relief and also directed that arrears to the tune of Rs. 42 lakhs be paid. The revenue recovery proceedings initiated by the Government would only result in the paying counter closing down, the association said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Pirated cassettes, CDs of latest films seized
• 'Retain ST relief for MCH paying counter'
• Consumers plan agitation against phone tariff hike
• Consumers plan agitation against phone tariff hike
• Registration closed

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu