Rajouri Hospital Canteen Contractors allege Commission demand for bill clearance

Ajay Sharma

Rajouri, August 22: Despite government efforts to curb corruption, particularly in the health sector, allegations of irregularities have surfaced in the operation of a canteen at a Sub-District Hospital (SDH) in Rajouri, where contractors claim that bills for meals supplied to patients are allegedly cleared only after payment of commissions to certain officials and employees.

According to the contractors, they have been engaged to provide breakfast, lunch and dinner to patients admitted to the hospital. They allege that despite accepting the contracts at competitive or low rates, they are being asked to pay commissions for the processing and release of their bills.

“We accept the work at the lowest rates, but when it comes to the release of bills, we are allegedly asked to pay a commission,” the contractors claimed, requesting anonymity. They further alleged that a senior health official and a clerk were involved in the alleged practice.

The contractors also claimed that money was allegedly transferred to accounts linked to certain officials and that those who refused to make payments faced delays in the clearance of their bills.

The allegations could not be independently verified. No response from the officials named or implicated in the allegations was available at the time of filing this report.

The contractors claimed that the matter had already been brought to the notice of senior health authorities. They said the Director of Health Services and the Commissioner of Health had been informed and had indicated that appropriate action would be taken.

The contractors said the issue warranted urgent attention as the canteen is responsible for providing meals to patients at the hospital.

“Any irregularity in the procurement or payment process could potentially affect the quality, quantity and nutritional standards of food served to patients,” they said.

The contractors have sought an independent inquiry, including by the Anti-Corruption Bureau, into the allegations. They have also urged the administration to examine the relevant financial transactions, payment records and bank statements to establish whether any unauthorised payments were made.

The allegations, if established, could raise questions about financial transparency and the monitoring of outsourced services in the health sector. An impartial inquiry would be necessary to determine the facts and fix responsibility, if any.