DIMAPUR, DECEMBER 21 (MExN): The ACAUT Nagaland today rubbished the recent press statement issued by the Food and Civil Supplies (F&CS) Department as “totally misleading.”
A press note from the ACAUT stated that the department’s “intention to shelter RICE MAFIA is now crystal clear to Naga public.” It reminded that ACAUT had submitted its representation to the Director of F&CS on 23 October 2016 demanding immediate cancellation of NIT and corrective measures to avoid siphoning of PDS Rice.
However, it informed that the Director of F&CS went ahead with the tender. The ACAUT questioned what step it took to rectify the anomalies pointed out in the representation submitted three months back.
The ACAUT alleged that the siphoning of PDS items to mills and open market by the department “has been going on for the past 15-20 years.” It added that the transparent tendering process was not followed and year after the year the contract was extended to the “mafias controlling the PDS through power of attorney as in the case of R.Z. Lotha by G. Sarkar and A. Jain.”
The ACAUT asked for immediate cancellation of NIT and called for a new NIT, pointing to “ulterior motive to shield the mafias by the department.” In its representation, the ACAUT had informed that Nagaland state as well as nationally, Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) for contract and supply is fixed @1-2%, whereas, F&CS has fixed it at Rs. 25 Lakhs irrespective of contract value. Moreover, the EMD for all the districts is fixed uniformly, a clear case of manipulation to shelter the department syndicates and cronies, according to ACAUT.
Informing that nationally as well as in Nagaland, the security deposit for any contract work is fixed @ 3-5%, it revealed that the department, irrespective of contract value has fixed it at Rs. 75 Lakhs uniformly for all the districts, which according to ACAUT is “another clear case of the department trying to manipulate and temper tendering process to favor syndicates and individuals.”
It pointed out that at present, majority of contractors have given power of attorney to third parties, which “clearly proves that those firms and individuals are not capable of carrying out the contract awarded to them.” Despite this, the ACAUT lamented that the department has extended their contract year after year “without any transparent tendering process, indicating clear-cut corruption and conspiracy.”
The ACAUT stated that the government’s response to the expose’ has been disappointing. Citing the lack of any independent inquiry into the matter, it stated that such ethical considerations seem to be completely missing among Naga politicians and bureaucrats.
It demanded that the department immediately blacklist those firms and individuals from participating in any contract and supply work in the department. It asked the department to refer to the RTI furnished to ACAUT Nagaland for the list of those firms and individuals who have given power of attorney to other parties.
Those contractors who have been running their contract under power of attorney should immediately be blacklisted and new tender be immediately called, it added.
The ACAUT stated that had the Director and Secretary of the department taken corrective measures three months back as per its representation, “the entire racket would have stopped and the present issue wouldn’t have cropped up.”
It challenged the Director and Secretary, F&CS to “immediately submit every evidence of misappropriation and malpractices in the PDS to the police investigating the case or else resign…for creating all the mess and colluding with the PDS mafia.
