Acting tough after a World Bank revelation about corruption in health sector projects, the Government on Saturday said it would set up four groups to probe the charges and warned that those guilty would be punished.
The Centre also said that the Union Health Ministry has been working on framing detailed guidelines and modalities to increase and strengthen procurement capacity of states in order to curb corruption in health care projects.
"Four groups, consisting of members from the Finance and Health Ministries, would be set up to probe the irregularities found by the World Bank in projects dealing with eradication of tuberculosis and malaria and HIV/AIDS control schemes," Union Health Secretary Naresh Dayal told PTI.
"Detailed investigations will be done after we study the report. I can assure you, exemplary action will be taken against those found guilty," he said.
He said the government has already decided that procurement for projects should be done through the United Nations Organisations of Procurement.
"We are also trying to increase and strengthen the capacity of states for procurement. Detailed guidelines for procurement are being framed by the ministry," Dayal said.
{{/usCountry}}"We are also trying to increase and strengthen the capacity of states for procurement. Detailed guidelines for procurement are being framed by the ministry," Dayal said.
{{/usCountry}}The Health Secretary said the government had provided all help to the World Bank in the probe. He said that based on earlier reports it had taken a lot of actions.
"After the first report, procurement from two pharma companies were suspended," he added.