CCI rejects complaint against Odisha govt's health dept

Oracle Drugs, a medical shop, and others had alleged that the Department was imposing unreasonable conditions for carrying out business.

"The Commission finds that no prima facie case is made out against the Opposite Parties (Secretary and Director Department of Health & Family Welfare, Odisha) for directing investigation into the matter.

"It is a fit case for closure ... and is hereby closed," Competition Commission of India (CCI) said in its order.

Oracle Drugs and others have business in different premises of public health facilities in Odisha.

It was alleged that condition imposed on the shop-owner regarding discount was beyond the contract signed between the parties.

As per the complaint, direction to give discount to the public was not applicable on "Day and Night Medicine Shops" in Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode.

According to CCI, state is responsible for providing affordable quality healthcare to its people and is responsible for making policy decisions to achieve this objective.

"The chemists & druggists allotted shops by state within the premises of public health facilities can be bound with such reasonable conditions which facilitate the availability of medicines and drugs to the consumers at a reasonable price.

Such a policy cannot be said to be an anti-competitive policy," CCI said.