The Union finance ministry has given special exemption to central government departments from following set procedures to facilitate quicker procurement and transportation of medical and essential supplies from other countries to help tackle the covid-19 pandemic.
The department of expenditure in the finance ministry exempted the department of pharmaceuticals, ministry of health and family welfare, ministry of textiles, department of consumer affairs, and the ministry of civil aviation from the General Financial Rules, which compiles public procurement principles for central government departments. “Being a national health emergency of unprecedented and historic scale, delays in procurement will result in loss of lives of citizens.