A day after BJP leader and former councillor N.R. Ramesh’s allegations of a multi-crore drug purchase scam under the National Rural Health Mission in the Health and Family Welfare Department, Minister U.T. Khader on Saturday announced that a probe will be conducted into the matter.
He also said he would bring out a White Paper on utilisation of funds under the NRHM scheme in Bengaluru.
Mr. Ramesh alleged that Mr. Khader and senior officials of the department were involved in the drug purchase scam and misused hundreds of crores of rupees sanctioned by the Centre for purchase of drugs and providing free treatment in hospitals, particularly in Bengaluru. He alleged that the department had misused over Rs. 1,400 crore.
He alleged that bogus companies had been given tenders to supply drugs to the government-run hospitals in the State. Mr. Khader said he was ready for any kind of probe and his department was an “open book” for all. However, he would hold discussions with officials and make efforts to unearth irregularities, if any, in utilisation of funds under the NRHM scheme.
