In a letter to the Chief Minister on Thursday, Mr. Eswaraiah alleged that the tender conditions favoured a few large contractors and denied a level playing field to smaller firms and women’s self-help groups. He sought cancellation of the contracts awarded to Kendriya Bhandar and NCCF, and fresh tenders on a district-wise basis.
He alleged that the cost of a general nutrition kit increased from ₹241 to ₹283.19, while that of the tribal-zone kit had gone up from ₹350 to ₹446. Based on the annual quantities and the difference in rates, the CPI leader put the additional expenditure at ₹29.22 crore.
The CPI leader also questioned the eligibility of agencies which, he alleged, did not have their own manufacturing units despite the tender requiring manufacturing capacity and relevant food safety and production certificates.
He said some agencies had been disqualified on similar grounds in the previous year but were subsequently qualified despite the conditions remaining unchanged. He also questioned the requirement of supplying to at least 5,583 delivery points in each zone, arguing that it effectively excluded smaller manufacturers, local enterprises and women’s self-help groups from the bidding process.
Mr. Eswaraiah alleged that the four-zone tender, covering 53,787 Anganwadi centres and an estimated 54.25 lakh kits annually, was structured in a manner that restricted competition. He also questioned how multiple bidders could have quoted the same rate of ₹283.19 for the general zones, calling for the bidding records to be examined as part of the proposed inquiry.
He cited the Supplementary Nutrition Rules, 2017, and Supreme Court directions relating to the involvement of self-help groups in supplementary nutrition programmes, and alleged that adequate priority had not been given to SHGs in the State’s tender process.
The CPI leader demanded an audit comparing the tender rates with previous years, prevailing market prices and rates in other States. He also sought scrutiny of the tender notification, Government Orders, eligibility and disqualification records, file notes, allocation orders, quality-testing reports and payment records.
He said the government should scrap the existing zone-based system, invite fresh tenders district-wise and give greater opportunity to SHGs, public sector agencies and local small and medium enterprises.
Mr. Eswaraiah urged the Government to make the relevant records public and take action against officials or contractors if violations were established.
