Irregularities to the Rs 3,300 cr in procurement of Covid-19 supplies alleges former Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

The former CM has sought a whitepaper from the government over expenses incurred to tackle Covid-19 in Karnataka

Opposition leader Siddaramaiah has asked the government to delineate the details of expenses incurred by the state in tackling the Covid-19 pandemic on Sunday. He also alleged irregularities to the tune of Rs 3,300 cr in the procurement of equipment to contain the pandemic.

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"Since the government has not acted in a transparent manner in containing the pandemic, there is a lot of doubt, uncertainty and insecurity among people. To reaffirm the faith of the people in the government, I urge chief minister BS Yediyurappa to release a white paper with complete details of the expenditure for Covid-19," Siddaramaiah said in a statement.

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He posed a series of questions to the government regarding the procurement of PPE kits, ventilators, oxygen cylinders, masks and other expenses regarding treatment and quarantine of patients. "What is the amount released by the centre and what equipments has the state government provided? How many beds are reserved in private hospitals for Covid-19 treatment? What were the parameters for fixing prices for treatment at private hospitals?" the former CM demanded.

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There are allegations that the government procured medical equipment at twice the market price, resulting in irregularities to the tune of Rs 3,300 cr. "Finance Department has objected to the same. The chief minister should clarify the issue," Siddaramaiah said.