Thiruvananthapuram: After the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report authenticated the charge that there was corruption in the purchase of PPE kits during COVID-19 in 2020, then-health minister KK Shailaja defended the decision to buy kits at a higher price.

The CAG report was tabled in the Assembly on Tuesday. Shailaja said that during COVID 19, when there was a shortage of PPE kits, the government had to to buy some at a higher price. "I haven't seen the CAG report. However, I had given my replies when the Opposition raised this issue in the Assembly earlier. I also clarified the matter when the Opposition filed a complaint before the Lokayukta," she told reporters. "When the second Pinarayi Vijayan government came to power (in 2021), the Chief Minister also gave a clear response on this issue," she added.

"When there was a shortage of PPE kits, the price increased. Then, a few kits had to be bought at a higher price. Although lakhs of kits were purchased, only a few were bought at the inflated price. The extraordinary time called for such a decision. The people of Kerala will not forget that. There was a severe shortage of PPE kits at that time." she said.

She reiterated that she had not read the CAG report. "Only one company had the kits. Although we ordered 50,000 kits, we did not receive that many. The order was placed considering the quality as well. I won't comment on it without seeing the CAG report. The government will respond on this matter," she said.

The CAG said the "irregular procurement" had caused an additional expenditure of Rs 10.23 crore to the state exchequer.