The Hindu : New Delhi News : Scam alleged in MCD school uniform procurement

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Feb 18, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Scam alleged in MCD school uniform procurement

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, FEB. 17. The Opposition members in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi have alleged a major scam running into crores of rupees in the procurement of uniforms for the students of MCD-run schools.

The Standing Committee meeting of the MCD witnessed stormy scenes yesterday as the Opposition stood up against a move by the ruling Congress to introduce a proposal for sanctioning the contract for making 9 lakh school uniforms at the eleventh hour.

Objecting to the move, Councillor Vijender Gupta said it was decided in 2003-04 that 9 lakh students would be given school uniforms in the year 2004-05.

Subsequently, he said, a sum of Rs 18 crores was sanctioned for purchasing the cloth for the same.

However, he charged that while for 10-and-a-half months some members of the ruling group, officials and some touts operating out of the Corporation had kept the issue pending in the files, now when just 45 days were left in the year, they had suddenly brought the issue in the additional agenda for the Standing Committee meeting in order to get it passed.

Though Mr Gupta boycotted the meeting in protest and some members of the ruling Congress also opposed the move to introduce the issue in the additional agenda, the Chairman of the standing Committee, Mukesh Goyal, while admitted that there had been a delay in its introduction got the proposal passed.

Noting that action would be taken against the erring officials, he said, since the matter pertained to school children and the uniforms had to be prepared before the commencement of the next session, he said, it was imperative to grant permission for the purchase of the cloth.

However, he assured that the shortlisted companies will have to meet the supply demand as per the schedule failing which they would be severely penalised.

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