Kerala government orders inquiry into deal with US firm

The Kerala government has constituted a two-member expert committee of retired IAS officers to examine the deal with US firm Sprinklr for COVID-19 data analysis.

The inquiry was ordered in the wake of allegations raised by opposition Congress that procedures were flouted in entering into the deal with the firm and privacy of health data of individuals was compromised. The Kerala High Court had also expressed concerns over the deal and sought a report from the government.

Former civil aviation secretary M Madhavan Nambiar will be the chairman of the committee and former Kerala additional chief secretary Rajeev Sadanandan will be the member.

The committee will examine whether personal and sensitive data of individuals were protected as per the agreement with Sprinklr, whether procedures were followed in inking the agreement with Sprinklr and deviations, if any, could be justified considering the critical situation the state was facing owing to COVID. The committee should give report in one month, said the order issued by Chief Secretary Tom Jose.

The order also said that the Kerala IT Department initiated steps for COVID data analysis and decided to use big data analysis service of Sprinklr in order to face any exigency due to surge of COVD-19 in Kerala.