Speaker Dr Mahant orders for an inquiry into alleged Rs 200 crore tablet scam by House Committee
Raipur:Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly Speaker Dr Charandas Mahant said that a House Committee will investigate alleged Rs 200 crore scam in the procurement of biometric tablets for the installation in schools to ensure transparency in the attendance of teachers across the state.
MLA Baghel Lakheshwar raised the issue of financial irregularities in the procurement of biometric tablets for schools in Bastarconstituency during the Question Hour of the House on Monday.
Lakheshwar asked School Education Minister Dr Premsai Singh Tekam about the total number of biometric tablets supplied to the government schools. MLA also wanted to know from the Minister about the condition of these biometric tablets.
Dr Tekam replied that biometric tablets were supplied to 411 government primary schools, 181 middle schools, 25 high schools and 26 higher secondary schools in Bastar assembly constituency. In 2017-18, Rs 11 lakh was spent for procurement of biometric tablets, Rs 61 lakh in 2018-19, Rs 19 lakh in 2019-20, Rs 41 lakh in 2020-21 and Rs 9 lakh in 2021-22. At present, only 7 tables are functional while 636 tablets are out of order.
Lakheshwar also claimed that Chhattisgarh Store Purchase Rules were not followed in procurement of the biometric tablets.
Speaker Dr Mahant announced to conduct an inquiry by the committee of the House and blacklist the company.
The School Education Minister said that the company had supplied the biometric tablets on the condition of free repair if it was damaged within three years, but they didn’t do it.
The School Education Minister said that the company had supplied the biometric tablets on the condition of free repair if it was damaged within three years, but it could not be done.
Minister Dr Tekam said that the tender notice was published in the newspapers, in which 2 companies had participated in the tender. One of them was given the order for the supply of biometric tablets. MLA Lakheshwar raised questions on this.
The Congress MLA said that the Store Purchase Rules were violated in the tender for procurement of biometric tablets. When there is a clear rule that at least three participants are necessary in a tender procurement, then how was the process of procurement completed with just two participation, he added. The MLA demanded an inquiry by a committee of the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly in this matter.
Minister Dr Tekam accepted that there were circumstances for conducting an inquiry in this matter.
