The Health Ministry will now have more freedom in procurement of condoms from the public-sector Hindustan Latex Limited (HLL) for free distribution under its family planning programmes and for prevention of HIV/AIDS.
The Ministry procures 21,00 million pieces of condoms every year under its various family planning programmes.
The procurement is done as per a formula whereby the Ministry is allowed to procure 75 per cent of the installed capacity of HLL or 75 per cent of the average annual requirement, whichever is lower.
Sources say the Union Cabinet has given its go-ahead to the Ministry for procuring more condoms from the public-sector concern if it finds it difficult to procure them from private players.
The Ministry can now procure beyond the permissible 75 per cent limit.
The sources said that in view of problems of cartelisation by private players and pending court cases and injunctions, the Health Ministry was facing problems in procuring condoms from them and had hence sought the Cabinet nod to grant it more flexibility in doing so.
As per the forumla till now, the sources said, around 50-55 per cent of the total quantity of condoms procured was taken in from HLL.
After procurement, the Ministry provides the same to the National Aids Control Organisation (NACO)/Department of AIDS Control.
