Mangaluru: A business endeavor of two Mangaluru women achieved the milestone of inaugurating their first store in the city on Monday when the first Hamd Home Products store was inaugurated here at Millennium Towers near Highland Hospital in the city.

Dr. Maryam Anjum Iftekhar, Gynaecological Oncologist at the Zulekha Yenepoya Institute of Oncology Mangalore inaugurated the store.

Dr. Maryam congratulated the women entrepreneurs on their successful inauguration of the store and hoped the business would grow multifold in the years to come.

Dr. Disha Ajila, Gynecologist & Obstetrician, Shehnaz M, Editor Anupama Women’s Monthly, Saira Lobo, Entrepreneur, Shabina Akhtar of Asare Women’s Foundation and Samshad Aboobakkar, Corporator MCC were present as Chief Guests during the inauguration event.

Two Mangaluru Women Entrepreneurs Shahida and Shahira began Hamd Home Products in 2018 as a small venture with 20 home products. The duo used to deliver the products themselves before inaugurating the store in the city on Monday.

The company manufactures a variety of fresh food ingredients ranging from various spices powders to the stone ground paste. Standing true to its motto 'Healthy food, Healthy Life', Hamd Home Products offers taste and interesting platters which are organic, natural, chemical-free, and preservative-free.

“Hamd has been delivering fresh food to our customers for about 5 years now, only to find ourselves opening our first ever outlet with more than 75 products today. Our motto hasn't changed much ever since, if something has changed it's our products which only got better, and our kitchen, bigger.” The co-founders said after the inauguration of their first store.

“It didn't take long for us to realize that our products were running out of storage sooner than before and hence we decided to upgrade Hamd Home Products to Hamd Home Store, filling out the shelves with a variety of products not just from our company but other similar organic products companies too. For more transparency and to develop trust, we have now opened the Hamd Home Store, wherein we have made it easy for the customers to see the products before buying them, to rid of uneasiness often faced during online shopping. 

“When you pick up a packet of Hamd products, you choose food made in a homely atmosphere, with immense care and hygiene. Products weighed and sealed are fresh, nutritious & delicious. Additionally, our products are produced and packed in a small range to preserve freshness. We make sure it has no contaminants, or any damages all the way from our kitchen to your table.” They added.

Nasuha recited verses from the holy Quran while Aisha Ayat welcomed the guests. Ayesha Hassan, Sadiq Hassan, and others were present.

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Bengaluru: Justice John Michael D’Cunha’s committee has uncovered significant irregularities in the procurement of medical supplies during the Covid-19 pandemic, revealing that more than 16 lakh RT-PCR test kits purchased by Karnataka in 2022 under the BJP-led government were either expired or close to their expiry dates.

After irregularities in PPE kit purchases, ventilators have also come under the scanner, with the report highlighting discrepancies amounting to Rs 173.26 crore in purchases made by the Medical Education Department.

The commission has also found that the Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation Ltd. (KSMSCL) that cancelled a supply order for one lakh Rapid Antigen (RAT) kits placed with a Singapore-based company in March 2020 — for delay in supplying — has not recovered the Rs 6.99 crore paid to the company towards the order, as reported by The Hindu on Thursday.

According to the 279-page report on procurements made by the KSMSCL that is compiled in part IV of the report, a payment of Rs 148.84 crore was made by KSMSCL to various suppliers and firms towards procurement of RT-PCR kits from 2020 to 2022.

The Commission’s report, as cited by the publication, stated that there were records indicating procurement of RT-PCR kits, RNA extraction kits and Viral transport media (VTM) of a total value of Rs 106.25 crore during the pandemic in Karnataka. However, according to the report, this procurement was made without administrative approval.

“Since the KSMSCL has failed to discharge its obligation and responsibility, the loss caused to the State exchequer to this extent is required to be replenished by the erring officers and/or officials of the KSMSCL as well as the officers and/or officials of the consignee designated laboratories who received the consignment,” the report said, pegging the losses due to expired kits supplied by companies at Rs 3.11 crore.

In response to the report’s findings, state Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao criticised the saffron party for profiting from the pandemic. He promised accountability for the irregularities involving PPE kits and ventilators, stating that those responsible would face punishment.