The Hindu : Front Page : Supplyco's purchase system to be overhauled

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 24, 2006

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Supplyco's purchase system to be overhauled

C. Gouridasan Nair

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Government is planning to give up the present tender system for purchase of various essential articles by the Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation (Supplyco) and partner with State agencies in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra to effect purchases, Food and Civil Supplies Minister C. Divakaran has said.

Mr. Divakaran told The Hindu here on Sunday that he had held discussions with his Andhra Pradesh counterpart on direct purchase of essential articles from farmers through Andhra Pradesh Government agencies and received a positive response. The Maharashtra and Karnataka Governments too had expressed readiness to partner with Supplyco for the purchases, thereby eliminating middlemen. This would help avoid corruption in purchases by Supplyco, he said.

Mr. Divakaran said the Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra Governments had offered assistance to Kerala if it helped their farmers with periodic purchase of their produces. Officers would be sent to these States to work the modalities of association between the two sides. Simultaneously, the Government would also consider referring the corruption cases relating to past purchases by Supplyco to the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) as the cases involved individuals and agencies from different States, he added.

Mr. Divakaran said they were considering proposals for direct import of essentials through the State Trading Corporation (STC). Discussions would be held with the Central Government on this.

He said the Animal Husbandry Department was planning some major initiatives to generate job opportunities, increase the cattle population in the State from the present 34 lakhs to 50 lakhs in two years and to facilitate pioneering research in the related areas. The research and development facility under the department at Mattuppetty would be developed into a centre of excellence with assistance from the Centre.

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