Govt ends 10-yr pact with GVK-EMRI for ambulances

The department of Health and Family Welfare has terminated its 10-year contract with GVK-EMRI (Emergency Management and Research Institute), which provides emergency response service ‘108 Arogya Kavacha’.

The order was issued on July 14 by the government when there was more than one year left for the contract to end, in October 2018. The decision was taken by the commissioner of Health and Family Welfare department, citing certain shortcomings from GVK-EMRI group such as delay in providing services, shortage in manpower and not addressing employees’ grievances.

“We received complaints from the people, the media among others. The quality of their services went down. There were complaints from MLAs,” said R Narayan, nodal officer for the emergency services.

The government had entered into an agreement with GVK-EMRI in 2008, which was to end 2018. Over the years, the department has served the organisation several notices for its poor performance.

GVK-EMRI has been currently served with a three-month notice and will provide emergency services for the said period. “We have called for tenders for agreement with a new organisation,” said Subodh Yadav, commissioner, Health & Family Welfare department.

The government has 827 ambulances and GVK EMRI has 701, which will be combined to hand them over to the organisation which will replace GVK-EMRI. When contacted, Abhinav Jayaram, state chief of GVK EMRI, refused to comment on the issue.