The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : TRS calls for fresh bid on LI scheme

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Sunday, Jul 06, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

TRS calls for fresh bid on LI scheme

Staff Reporter

Demands cancelling of tenders on Rs. 36,000-crore project

Yatra to be held along the site of the LI project
Party alleges delay in clearing Telangana projects

ADILABAD: The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) on Saturday demanded that the government either freshly negotiate price bids with contracting firms or cancel the tenders for works on the Rs. 36,000 crore Pranahita-Chevella Lift Irrigation Scheme (PCLIS). The party alleged that corrupt practices in the tender process for different packages so far led to a huge loss to the State exchequer.

Tenders

Siddipet MLA T. Harish Rao, accompanied by party leader Ch. Suhasini Reddy alleged at a press conference that the government facilitated a ‘ring’ among contracting firms to enable the companies get allotted works at 4 per cent in excess of the contracting value. “Important leaders received kickbacks and percentages to an extent of 10 per cent of the value of the works. For the Rs. 20,000 crore worth of works for which tenders were finalised, the leaders received a whopping Rs. 2,000 crore in percentages,” the TRS leaders alleged.

Circulating copies of a status report on the tender process on the PCLIS, the MLA pointed out that initially contractors had quoted over 6 per cent less for the packages. After their collusion with government functionaries took shape, the value suddenly jumped by over 10 per cent for all other subsequent packages, they added.

The TRS leaders revealed that a yatra along the site of the Pranahita-Chevella project, between Adilabad and Ranga Reddy district, will be planned soon. Party leaders who participate in the yatra will enlighten people on the injustices being meted out to the Telangana region.

Gathering dust

Citing fresh examples of the injustices, Mr. Harish Rao said works on the PCLIS scheme have not started even after three years of conception of the project. In contrast, works on Pothireddypadu and other projects benefiting Andhra region have made good progress.

“Files related to projects in Andhra and Rayalaseema are cleared quickly in the State secretariat while those relating to Telangana gather dust,” observed the MLA.

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