india

Updated: Apr 18, 2020 15:56 IST

The Chhattisgarh government will be procuring high-quality Covid-19 rapid testing kits from a South Korean company within next ten days, the state’s health minister TS Singh Deo said Saturday.

Singh Deo said the government would be buying 75,000 high-quality rapid testing kits at a cost of Rs 337 per kit. Goods and services tax would be added to that.

“As per the tender, the kits will arrive in the next seven to ten days. The South Korean company based in India was the lowest bidder. The rate we have been able to close at is the lowest in India,” he said

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The minister further said that the deal was possible due continuous interactions with the ambassador of South Korea and the Indian ambassador in South Korea.

“The officers of South Korean company have been very cooperative till now,” he said.

The Chhattisgarh government had earlier cancelled two short tenders for the purchase of rapid testing kits in the last 15 days.

The first tender was cancelled due to a calculation mistake by the final bidder in filling the form while the second tender was cancelled after the bidder claimed that it had less stock.

“We will take action against these companies,” said the minister.

Chhattisgarh had reported 36 cases of Covid-19 out of which 24 people have been discharged.

The state government has started random testing in Katghora town of Korba district from where 27 positive cases have been detected till now.

“From Saturday random sampling will be done in other wards of Katghora town. Total 1000 sampling will be done in three days and the results will decide how much more sampling needs to be done,” said an official.