Civil Hospital introduces QR code payment system for liquor permits after embezzlement case

Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad’s Asarwa has introduced a QR code-based payment system for liquor permit applications following the detection of alleged embezzlement in permit-related transactions, officials said on Wednesday.

According to hospital authorities, payments for services such as liquor permits, X-rays, sonography and CT scans were earlier collected through a single QR code.

Officials said three employees of an outsourcing agency allegedly misappropriated more than ₹1.80 lakh instead of depositing the amount into the Patient Welfare Committee fund by exploiting the existing system.

As a single QR code was used for multiple services, it was difficult to identify the department to which a particular transaction belonged, they said.

Under the revised arrangement, payments for liquor permits, X-rays, sonography, and CT scans will be deposited directly into the Patient Welfare Committee account, reducing the scope for embezzlement, officials added.

Data available with the hospital showed that 1,248 fresh liquor permit applications were received between January 2024 and January 2026, while 5,922 applications were received for renewal during the same period.

Of the total applications processed, 7,045 were approved and 29 were rejected for various reasons, officials said.