The Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, released a notice on June 28, 2024, in which the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) requested an exemption for the procurement of 354 Medical Devices as listed by the department till March 31, 2027, or further orders. An amendment has been made to Rule 161(iv) of the General Financial Rules (GFRs) 2017, stipulating that no Global Tender Enquiry (GTE) shall be invited for tenders up to Rs. 200 crores. However, in exceptional cases where a ministry or department believes there are special reasons for issuance of GTE, it may record a detailed justification and seek prior approval for the relaxation of the above rule from the competent authority, i.e., Secretary (Coordination), Cabinet Secretariat. For more information, click here.