Latest news with #KarnatakaTransparencyinPublicProcurement
The Hindu
21 hours ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Mandya ZP CEO emphasises commitment for efficient governance at grassroots level
Mandya Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer (CEO) K.R. Nandini has said that Gram Panchayat Development Officers (PDOs) and taluk panchayat executive officers must work with commitment and integrity for transparent and efficient governance at the grassroots level. Addressing a PDO grievance redressal meeting in Mandya, Ms. Nandini emphasised the importance of public service and said officials must take pride in their duties. 'Several PDOs in the district have demonstrated a good performance. To encourage the officials, health check-ups will be conducted every six months, and awards will be presented to outstanding performers,' she added. Ms. Nandini said that over 17,500 children had been registered for summer camps organised across Gram Panchayats in the district. 'This shows the coordination and discipline among the officials.' Stressing the importance of addressing field-level challenges, Ms. Nandini said PDOs and panchayat staff are being encouraged to voice their concerns freely. Taluk panchayat executive officers have been instructed to hold monthly open-house discussions to address the grievances of PDOs. 'If issues remain unresolved at the taluk level, they must be escalated to the district level for redressal,' she said. Expressing concern over repeated violations of the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement (KTPP) norms, she directed PDOs to strictly adhere to the 60:40 ratio while preparing action plans and ensure that expenditures are made as per decisions taken during the general body meetings. 'Compliance with KTPP rules and the financial code is mandatory,' she noted. She said that nodal officers must be available at the district headquarters every Monday and Thursday between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. to hear public complaints. Prashanth Babu, president of the Karnataka State Panchayat Development Officers' Welfare Association, Mandya District, described the grievance-handling meeting as a positive step towards resolving field-level challenges. However, he raised concern over delays in salary disbursement, urging that PDOs' salaries are credited by the 5th of every month.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Karnataka home department to procure fuel worth Rs 11crore without tender
Bengaluru: To operate over 2,000 vehicles of the fire and emergency services department, as well as vehicles from home guards and civil defence departments, the govt recently gave exemption to the home department to procure the required fuel for one year through petrocard system. According to the notification issued by the finance department on May 27, the govt exempted the home department from tendering to buy Rs 2 crore worth of fuel from Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL). In another notification issued the same day, an exemption was given from tendering to purchase Rs 9 crore worth of fuel, lubricants and other items from HPCL. According to the notifications, a 4(g) exemption was provided under Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement (KTPP) Act. This exemption allows the home department to directly procure fuel without going through the tender process. However, a condition was placed on the department to ensure quality services at an appropriate price. According to sources, the home department recently requested the finance department for an exemption from the tender process. The fire and emergency services department has over 2,000 vehicles, including fire-fighting vehicles, two-wheelers, and four-wheelers. Home guards department has more than 500 vehicles.
Hans India
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Govt engaged in loot through illegal tender process, claims BJP
Bengaluru: The Congress-led Karnataka government has been repeatedly involved in corrupt practices and is issuing tenders illegally, offering contracts only to its preferred entities, alleged senior BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy. Speaking at a press conference held at the Vidhana Soudha on Monday, he said: 'Tenders are being floated on the Karnataka Public Procurement Portal. Even during our tenure, a tender was issued for printing marks cards, and the rate fixed was Rs 9.45 per card. After this government came to power, a tender was called by the Para-Medical Board, quoting Rs 100 for printing a single marks card. Following discussions, the rate was reduced to Rs 91,' he stated. He further said that as the issue came to light in some circles, the government negotiated again and revised the prices — Rs 44 for printing a marks card, Rs 47 for a diploma certificate, and Rs 44 for an internship certificate. A work order was issued with these revised rates on November 29 last year, he added. The contract was awarded to 'Urdhva Management Private Limited' based in Sanjaynagar, Bengaluru. Upon learning this, Narayanaswamy said he wrote to the government secretary on January 8, pointing out violations of the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement (KTPP) Act. 'To this day, no response has been received,' he said, and further noted that the financial bid was approved only on April 12, 2024, even though the work order had already been issued earlier. He also displayed related letters and to a question, Narayanaswamy said this matter falls under the portfolio of Medical Education Minister Sharanprakash Patil. He alleged that the director of Urdhva Management Pvt. Ltd., Venkatareddy D. Patil, is either a close relative or associate of Minister Patil. He claimed that Urdhva Management is an event management company and has no connection whatsoever with printing services. 'They have never handled any printing work,' he alleged. 'Steps have been taken to award the tender to people favoured by the minister. This is a blacklisted company with around 20–25 cases registered against it,' Narayanaswamy said, questioning how such a firm could be awarded the contract. He further alleged that the tender was awarded without even finalising the financial bid. 'When we gave the contract at Rs 9.45 per mark card, it came to Rs 2.45 lakh. But in this bid, they haven't even specified how many certificates are to be printed — meaning they can later decide and print however many they want,' he said. 'Despite writing two or three letters regarding this, I have not received a single response from the Chief Secretary or the concerned department,' he concluded.
Hans India
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
BJP MLAs file complaint with Lokayukta
Bengaluru: Bengaluru BJP MLAs led by the former Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and BJP MLA C.N. Ashwath Narayan have filed a complaint against State Energy Minister K.J. George and others with the Karnataka Lokayukta here on Monday in connection with alleged smart meter scam. Yelahanka MLA S.R. Vishwanath and Doddaballapur MLA Dheeraj Muniraju are also the complainants in the case. Speaking to the media after filing a complaint with the Lokayukta, former Deputy CM Ashwath Narayan said that complaints have been filed against Energy Minister George, Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta, BESCOM MD Mahantesh, Technical Directors Ramesh and Balaji, and others. He accused them of violating all legal norms to award a contract to M/s Rajashree Electricals Private Limited, the company which is merely a plumbing equipment manufacturer. 'There is no legal provision to make smart meters compulsory for consumers. Yet they have been forced. Not just that -- they've entered into an agreement with a blacklisted company,' Ashwath Narayan alleged. 'Several allegations of irregularities in the smart meter project have been brought to the attention of the Lokayukta.' 'We have provided detailed information to the Lokayukta regarding the corruption involved. We have directly submitted the complaint to the Superintendent of Police of the Lokayukta and requested appropriate action leading to a logical conclusion. This complaint has been filed to curb corruption. The battle has begun,' he said. He alleged that Energy Minister George has made nine false claims. 'We had already exposed this. There has been misuse, and despite no legal provision to make smart meters mandatory for consumers, they are being forced,' he said in response to a question. The complaint says, 'The Board of directors, Bengaluru Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM), the Chairman of BESCOM, Minister George along with Additional Chief Secretary KPTCL Gaurav Gupta, former BESCOM MD Mahantesh Bilagi and officials of BESCOM Board, have illegally conspired in preparation of smart meter tender, published on September 26, 2024.' 'The smart meter tender published by BESCOM is in violation of Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement (KTPP) Act, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) guidelines, Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) regulations, the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) standard bidding documents guidelines, and also, in violation of various government orders issues by Finance department.' The Board of directors of BESCOM, in the process of notifying the smart meter tender have dishonestly misappropriated the powers vested with them, with the intention to ensure that the tender is tailor made to ensure M/s Rajashree Electricals Private Ltd would successfully secure the tender, the complaint said. 'I have been informed that Rajashree Electricals is a benami company being operated by agents or henchmen of Energy Minister K.J. George. However, there is a need to find out the nexus between the Rajashree Electricals and Minister George,' Ashwath Narayan demanded. MLA S.R. Vishwanath, BJP Yuva Morcha State President and MLA Dheeraj Muniraju, Bengaluru South District President and MLA C.K. Ramamurthy, Bengaluru North District President S. Harish, and Bengaluru Central District President Saptagiri Gowda were also present.
