Gurukul Tender Inquiry Intensifies

Tenders worth Rs 1800 crore floated to supply 22 categories of items for 9.24 lakh students studying in various minority institutions

Demand for detailed  inquiry

• ■ Conduct a detailed inquiry into the tendering process adopted by the PMU for all tenders in the School Kits Scheme/Gurukulas Tenders
• ■ Examine whether the pricing of items procured under this scheme was in line with prevailing market rates;
• ■ Examine on what criteria all the tenders were awarded to respective successful bidders and whether the allegations made in this letter regarding their past performance have been considered;
• ■ Ascertain whether any tender conditions were framed in a mariner that unduly favoured a specific vendor or class of vendors;
• ■ Fix administrative accountability, at whatever level it is food to lie, once the facts have been established.

metro india news I hyderabad

The clamour for inquiry into the alleged irregularities in tenders floated to supply 22 categories of items for over 9.4 lakh students studying in Minority Gurukul institutions, Social Welfare, BC Welfare, Tribal Welfare, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas, Model Schools, Ashram Schools, and various welfare hostels across the state is growing shriller.

G Rajesh Kumar, has written to the Central Vigilance Commissioner, Telangana State Vigilance Commission, Director General of Vigilance & Enforcement for Telangana and Chief Secretary, Telangana Government for inquiry into alleged irregularities in tenders floated by the Project Monitoring Unit (PMU) of TGSWREIS under the Telangana School Kits Scheme or Gurukulas Tenders (PMU Food Provisions & Cleaning Materials along with School Kit Tenders).

The items include trolley bags, trunk boxes, uniforms, ties, belts, blankets, socks, school bags, notebooks, rugs, mats, PT dress, night dress, and track suits. The concerns raised by the entrepreneurs and MSME units is the way in which the tenders were tailored to suit big corporates especially from other states leaving businesses in the state aside. The eligibility norms were designed in a manner that suit big corporates.

Critics point out that while the government usually fixes standard rates for products in advance, no such pricing framework was finalized before these tenders were called. As a result, bidders allegedly quoted prices that are 25 to 35 percent higher than expected. Political and administrative circles are now openly discussing allegations that the contracts were effectively secured by select Gujarat-based firms with the backing of influential figures in the government.

Critics say by bypassing GO Ms No.1, which mandates cloth-related procurement through Telangana State Handloom Weavers Cooperative Society Limited (TESCO/TGSCO) nearly 40,000 handloom families are suffering. It is alleged that that the PMU office of TGSWREI Society has defaulted in responding to several RTIs addressed regarding the irregularities of school kits tenders.