Important update on PM CARES ventilator scam:
I'd filed an RTI with state-owned Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL) which is supplying 30,000 PM CARES ventilators.
This was after Chairman/MD BEL threatened me with legal action after I exposed the ventilator pricing.
It gets murky 👇
I'd filed an RTI with state-owned Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL) which is supplying 30,000 PM CARES ventilators.
This was after Chairman/MD BEL threatened me with legal action after I exposed the ventilator pricing.
It gets murky 👇
I'd asked about number of ventilators sold to PM CARES, their pricing, & copies of invoices. This was rejected with a baffling response that the request is "non-specific with regards to time".
This is garbage because the order placed by PM CARES is a one-time order.
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This is garbage because the order placed by PM CARES is a one-time order.
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It gets weirder.
I then asked about total BEL-Skanray ventilators sold between 25 Mar - 18 Jun, their price, & hospitals they were supplied to.
This too was rejected saying "giving this info would harm the competitive position of BEL (a public authority)".
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I then asked about total BEL-Skanray ventilators sold between 25 Mar - 18 Jun, their price, & hospitals they were supplied to.
This too was rejected saying "giving this info would harm the competitive position of BEL (a public authority)".
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The "harming competitive position of BEL" argument is rubbish because:
(a) BEL is NOT in the ventilator business. These ventilators are being manufactured by BEL for Skanray ONLY FOR PM CARES
(b) Govt-owned company cannot hide prices at which it sells to the govt
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(a) BEL is NOT in the ventilator business. These ventilators are being manufactured by BEL for Skanray ONLY FOR PM CARES
(b) Govt-owned company cannot hide prices at which it sells to the govt
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Now comes the *drumroll* big murkiness.
BEL says that as of 15 Jun, 4000 BEL-Skanray ventilators had been manufactured. These are for PM CARES.
But in a press note a week later (on 23 June), PMO said ONLY 2923 TOTAL ventilators have been manufactured.
Why did PMO lie?
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BEL says that as of 15 Jun, 4000 BEL-Skanray ventilators had been manufactured. These are for PM CARES.
But in a press note a week later (on 23 June), PMO said ONLY 2923 TOTAL ventilators have been manufactured.
Why did PMO lie?
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Remember - PM CARES has allocated Rs. 4 lakh per ventilator.
AgVa Healthcare ventilators are priced at 1.5 lakhs according to the company.
The designer of BEL-Skanray ventilators Dr. Hiremath said on record that their price is less than 1 lakh.
Where is the money going?
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AgVa Healthcare ventilators are priced at 1.5 lakhs according to the company.
The designer of BEL-Skanray ventilators Dr. Hiremath said on record that their price is less than 1 lakh.
Where is the money going?
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- Why is the number of manufactured ventilators claimed by BEL-Skanray so VASTLY different from the number announced by PM CARES?
- Why is a govt-company hiding the selling price of its ventilators to PM CARES?
What are BEL & PM CARES trying to hide so desperately?
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- Why is a govt-company hiding the selling price of its ventilators to PM CARES?
What are BEL & PM CARES trying to hide so desperately?
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