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| Spurious Biscuits, Channa being supplied to Anganwari centres | | CIC's ruling ignored | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, July 24: At a time when lot of priority is being given to child care in country and several national flagship programmes are being implemented across country with wide publicity, the authorities designated to look after child development through Anganwari centres have allegedly selected inferior quality of biscuits, channa and Nutri which would be supplied to thousands of Anganwari centres in Jammu , Kashmir and Ladakh in the coming weeks and months.
Details available with Early Times reveal that Directorate of Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) has selected a company by illegal means which intends to supply biscuits of inferior quality to Anganwari centres across state. Sources say that biscuits identified and accepted are manufactured by an unregistered firm. Sources in ICDS J&K have told Early Times that the said firm and its products are not registered with the Registrar of Trade Mark ™ of India which is a Central Vigilance Commission's (CVC) mandatory norm. Moreover the (unregistered) biscuits are being purchased for Rs 74/Kg while as registered / branded biscuits can be easily purchased @ Rs 65 to Rs 67 / Kg. A substandard company is being encouraged by ICDS against registered companies with lowest F.O.R price.
Reliable sources have told Early Times that mandatory testing for the biscuit samples was required to be conducted from labs outside the state, this condition has also been violated by ICDS and testing has been carried out form the local labs to obtain certificate of Choice. Sources have further revealed that there is tremendous fluctuation in the purchase rates of Channa supplied to Anganwari centres . In Delhi the rate for high quality Channa is Rs 32/ Kg whereas ICDS is allegedly purchasing inferior Channa at the rate of Rs 57/kg. If freight charges are added to Channa from Delhi, the cost per Kg would not exceed Rs 36/- in Srinagar. It is evident that the purchases in bulk are being made on exorbitant rates to benefit some blue eyed suppliers against huge cuts. It has been revealed through sources that C class Nutri is being supplied to Anganwari centres across state.
As per the guidelines of Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) about 30% turnover of previous year of the tendering agencies should be made a criteria for eligibility of a contractor/ tenderer, but reports say that these guidelines are being completely violated only to benefit some contractors who are in hand and glove with the ICDS purchase committee.
It is also reported that state level purchase committee was to undertake purchases in ICDS but this was changed with malaise intention and instead departmental purchase committee was constituted. The state level purchase committee comprised of Director Industries, Director Health, Director Food Supplies and Chief Food Inspector. This committee is now not in operation and instead unprofessional people from ICDS are making all the purchases. |
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