CHENNAI- There has been a complaint of malpractice in the tender for the purchase of duram dal for 203 crore rupees to supply to ration shops.
It has come to light that a ‘tender’ has been awarded to a private company that has offered the lowest price for the purpose of ‘supplying’ low-quality foreign pulses. Officials have expressed fear that if Chief Minister Stalin does not pay urgent attention to this issue, the situation will be ‘smiling’ like Pongal gift items.
Under special public distribution scheme in Tamil Nadu Ration Shops, rice card holders will get Rs 30 for 1 kg Duvaram dal; 1 liter of palm oil is sold at a low price of Rs 25. Tamilnadu Consumer Goods Corporation buys these from private companies by calling for tenders.
12 companies
Accordingly, a tender was called on the 17th of this month to buy 2 crore kg of pulses. Its value is 203 crore rupees. Companies have been given time till 25th to participate in this tender; 12 companies participated.
The price points provided by those companies were opened yesterday. It has been revealed that a private company named after the Rajinikanth starrer has been selected by offering the lowest price of Rs 107.45 per kg.
In the tender requested by the Chamber of Commerce, there was a condition that Duvaram dal must be of the quality produced by Indian farmers known as ‘Patka’ and only dal of that quality would be purchased.
Also, there are regulations to buy only locally grown pulses.
At present, the price of quality duram dal is Rs 118-120 per kg in the open market.
Defective products
The company which has been selected in the tender has offered low price accordingly to supply low quality pulses imported from foreign countries.
In this regard, the officials of the food department said:
One of the companies accused of supplying substandard products in the Pongal gift package has offered the lowest price of Rs 107 per kg in the Duvaram dal tender.
The government has also decided to buy pulses from that company. But at present, the price of domestic duram dal in the country’s agricultural market is Rs 118.
The price of substandard pulses imported from abroad is below Rs 100 per kg. It has come to know that the lowest price is being offered to supply the pulses.
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At this price, it is questionable whether pulses of the quality demanded by the commercial corporation will be available for tender. If the chief minister does not pay urgent attention, the same situation will repeat itself as the government was discredited in the Pongal gift package.
Therefore, Chief Minister Stalin should order to set up a special committee and investigate the matter. A ‘supply order’ of pulses should not be placed merely because of the lowest price offered.
Supplying quality pulses only in Chennai, they supply poor quality in other districts. The story of people rioting against Pongal gifts is likely to happen again.
Thus they said.
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