The Hindu : Front Page : Pre-qualification tender norms to be amended

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Monday, Sep 03, 2007
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Pre-qualification tender norms to be amended

Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Government will amend pre-qualification tender criteria for road works to enable all contractors to participate in bidding, Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac said here on Sunday.

Reacting to reports that the World Bank would blacklist Kerala for failing to effectively utilise the assistance for road works, Dr. Isaac told presspersons here on Sunday that the Government had not received any communication from the Bank so far. The Government would not surrender the interests of the State to secure the Bank’s assistance. It would explore other options to do the road works under the Kerala State Transport Project and consider the proposals of the contractors’ association.

He said the Finance Department could not be blamed for the delay in the work on Main Central (M.C.) Road. The Government would amend the pre-qualification specifications and make payments within 30 days. Instead of floating one tender, separate tenders would be floated for various reaches, he said.

When the Left Democratic Front was in the Opposition, it had pointed out that the agreement signed with Pati-Bell benefited the contractors and was against the interest of the State. On assuming office, the Government reviewed the agreement and detected the lapses. The company had not completed work on the land acquired. Though the consultant had repeatedly brought this issue to the notice of the previous Government, no corrective steps were taken. Finally, it was decided to stop the payment of bills and the company cancelled the agreement. The onus for stopping the payment was on the previous United Democratic Front Government, he said.

When the works were re-tendered, the company too had joined the bidding process, but its demands were not acceptable to the Government.

The company had to be blamed for delaying the work. If needed, the Government would provide funds from the budget to complete the work in a time-bound manner. Pati-Bell had engaged local contractors on sub-contract. The Government would provide an opportunity for the local contractors to do the work directly. The new alternative would be Kerala’s reply to World Bank in doing such works, he said.

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