Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has accused TRS Government of engineering over Rs. 1 Lakh Crore scam in the irrigation department.
Addressing a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan on Wednesday along with party chief spokesperson Dr Sravan Dasoju, the PCC president said the TRS Government had modified rules to sabotage a fair tender process in the Palamuru Ranga Reddy Lift Irrigation Scheme. He said that the entire tender process was twisted to favour a few select companies in bagging works worth Rs. 29,200 crore in 18 packages. “Instead of inviting leading global and national companies to execute the works, the Irrigation Department has twisted the bidding rules in such a way that only a few selected companies would be eligible to bag the contract,” he said.
Citing instances, Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the qualification criteria asked was not the execution of similar nature of works. But it was, “Execution of not more than two projects within the present bid period with the combined executed value of such projects in any one financial years being 10% ECV of present bid.” Further, very peculiarly capacity of reservoirs along with height and width of earthen bund is asked in order to qualify for similar works category.
“Generally for all tenders we have observed that only Earth Work Embankment quantity is asked. But in these tenders the dimensions and quantities are strangely specified. It will not allow many eligible contractors to participate in the bidding thus creating a Monopolistic environment. In Telangana Water Grid Tenders, one work of similar nature was asked. Whereas, in these Irrigation tenders you had specially asked for two works. What is the reason?” asked Uttam Kumar Reddy.
He informed that he has already written a letter to Irrigation Department Principal Secretary questioning the tender process of Palamuru Ranga Reddy Lift Irrigation Scheme.
Similarly, the cost of several packages in Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Pranahita Chevella Sujala Sravanthi were enhanced by over Rs. 12,000 crore. Citing an instance, he said that the State Government issued a GO. RT. No. 129, Dated 11-02-2016 increasing the cost of Pakcage -14 from Rs. 659.265 Crore in 2008-09 to Rs. 3007.08 Crore. He said that the package cost was increased by almost five times without calling for fresh tenders and the works were allocated to the same contractor. He said that the cost should have come down in view of decrease in prices of diesel, cement and steel compared to 2008-09.
