the goan I network
PANAJI
Personal and familiar services offered by local cooks and waiters at canteens in the Goa Medical College Hospital at Bambolim could soon be a thing of the past.
After seeking to outsource pharmacies and laundry services at the GMC, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane has now turned his attention to canteen services.
Local canteen operators at the GMC hospital are bitter about the State government’s plans to outsource the seven canteens and have accused the government of attempting to snatch their contracts and hand them over to outsiders.
According to sources, e-contracts are being floated to operate canteens in the GMC, but no notices have been issued to current canteen operators as yet and there are fears that their contracts could be terminated shortly.
The FDA department is now being accused by local contractors of making attempts to get rid of them.
“It is an open secret that the government uses the FDA to get rid of food contractors. It is no different at the GMC hospital, with the FDA likely to indirectly harass and snatch away the canteens from local contractors and hand them over to outside companies,” said a local businessman.
Moves to change the operations of these canteens in the GMC have also caused some concern among doctors, nurses and other staff at GMC, amid fears that the localised and personal attention presently being provided by local canteen contractors to staff, patients and their relatives could be lost if outside companies run the canteens in an impersonal basis with strict attention to generate business.
“Health Minister Vishwajit Rane has initiated a series of projects under his department, but will locals benefit from these projects if they are being outsourced and likely to be bagged by outside companies,” asked a local businessman. “The government should not snatch the livelihood of locals already running GMC canteens. When local businessmen are available to provide virtually every service needed by the GMC hospital, what is the purpose of employing outsiders,” questioned the businessman. According to sources, seven canteens are operating in various parts of GMC hospital and all are presently operated by local contractors.
“The canteens are well maintained, with regular inspections by FDA inspectors. Doctors, staff, students, patients and their relatives are satisfied with canteen services offered at the GMC.”
“Despite the favourable response, the government has floated an e-contract to all these seven canteens, apparently to start high class canteen services like the ones offered by leading hospitals like AIIMS,” said a source. The source added that these contracts are to be given on a 15-year contract to those companies with an annual turnover of Rs 15 crore, virtually eliminating local contractors.
Incidentally, the practice of having outsiders to run the GMC canteens is not new.
Previously, GMC canteens had been contracted to outsiders for a long period. They were, however, recently taken over by locals contractors, who have been operating the canteens since the last five years.
“These local businessmen are now reluctant to invest further as they are given a contract for only one year. Now suddenly, a decision has been taken to hand over these canteens on a 15-year contract,” said the source.
“Incidentally, permission was granted to relatives of former GMC medical superintendent Dr Rajan Kuncolienkar to run a coffee centre in the hospital premises on a 30-year contract. Why this bias for Dr Kuncolienkar’s relatives,” asked a local businessman.
