Mumbai: Former Health Minister Tanaji Sawant has been accused of a major scam in the awarding of a contract for mechanised cleaning. Cleaning work in government hospitals and health centres, which previously cost ₹70 crores per year, was allegedly awarded to a favoured company, for ₹3190 crores. This has landed Sawant in a mess.
About The Case
The company chosen for the contract had no prior experience in mechanised cleaning and further, the work order was issued without cabinet approval, falsely presented as approved. Despite the non-availability of funds, the contract was still given to the company. Orders must be issued by the deputy director of the health and hospital department for cleaning services to begin in government hospitals. However, this process was given a miss, and orders were issued directly. As a result, an order was issued to stop the implementation of the tender.
Additionally, when the contract was made, the availability of funds was not considered and it has now emerged that the contract was handed over without the required funds in hand. In 2022, the Maharashtra government had signed a three-year contract (2022-ʼ23 to 2024-ʼ25) with the BSA Corporation Ltd, Pune, for mechanised cleaning services in government hospitals. The contract faced opposition, with critics claiming that it would give the contractor huge profits.
Notwithstanding this opposition and despite the contract never being approved in a cabinet meeting, a work order was issued, falsely showing it as approved. Once the scam was exposed, CM Fadnavis took immediate action by stopping the tender. Shiv Sena UBT MP Sanjay Raut praised Fadnavis for his quick response.
He emphasised that the health department directly affects the people, and corruption in healthcare services is unacceptable. He also stated, “If the chief minister is taking steps to stop corruption and expose it, we fully support him.”
