Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh today assured that the government is not favouring any particular bidder in the tendering process for the 108 emergency ambulance service.
Speaking to reporters, Lyngdoh said that the service, which is being run by the government as a stop-gap measure after the end of the contract of GVK, will live up to its life saving image.
“I want to reassure everyone that we are trying our best to ensure that bidders do not get the impression that there is going to be any favoritism in our selection procedure,” the minister said. “It is a laid out transparent system, marks have been allotted in the pre-bid meetings. The entire procedure was explained to the bidders, already marks have been displayed in the website of the NHM (National Health Mission) and there should be no reason for anyone to get the impression that we are going to favour anyone.”
She further added that there is stiff competition amongst all the bidders and enthusiasm to win the contract. Lyngdoh added that a competent group and a competent committee are looking into the matter.
Concerning the workers of the 108 service, which had led protests against the functioning of GVK, she assured that the government is trying its best to cover all workers and ensure that any group that takes the contract should protect employees that have given committed service to 108 for so many years.
“I will give them the assurance that we are already including a specific clause to ensure that as many rights as possible for workers of the 108 service should be covered by whichever group comes in,” Lyngdoh said.
There will be a procedure of testing and re-evaluation which is the practice in any such unorganized sector. The government wants to ensure that workers, some of whom have worked there for more than a decade, are protected and if they are competent they should be permitted to continue in the service.
