more-in Mumbai: The government on Saturday appointed additional chief secretary Mukesh Khullar to probe mismanagement in procurement of vaccination for the foot and mouth disease (FMD) in cattle. In 2017, over two crore milch animals had suffered from FMD but despite issuing seven tenders the State had failed to procure the vaccine. The issue had rocked the recent budget session of the Assembly. The one-man committee will have a tenure until May 5, 2018. It will look into the mismanagement of several tenders invited to procure FMD between August 4, 2017 to August 14, 2017. “The committee will probe allegations why one bidder was favoured over the other two, and why those who were disqualified were treated unfairly,” according to a senior official. Attacking the government over the issue,Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar had alleged a ‘senior minister’ was involved in the process, and Biovet Private Ltd, which had bagged the tender, had supplied sub-standard vaccine to the Haryana government. “Are we giving rejected vaccine to our animals?” he had asked. The probe panel will look into all tenders issued by the government for procurement, and the scrutiny process alongwith other issues raised in the Assembly. Minister of State for Animal Husbandry, Arjun Khotkar, had clarified that there was a delay and two doses of the vaccine were cancelled prices could not be negotiated.

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