Adam Halliday
Aizawl, November 21
[dropcap]A[/dropcap] total of 233 power and electricity contracts/supplies in Mizoram worth a total of Rs 149 crores has been awarded to contractors without floating any tenders over the past six years, according to the reply to an unstarred question in the state assembly on Friday.
Some individual contractors have even worked contracts worth up to Rs 35 crores without tenders for these ever being floated, according to an analysis of the data-sheet attached to the reply by Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, who holds the P&E portfolio.
Many of the entities in the list worked multiple contracts worth a total of more than a crore Rupees each over several years.
The list attached to the reply covers the years from 2009 till the present.Responding to Mizo National Front MLA Lalruatkima’s question, Lal Thanhawla said in his written reply that there are two reasons for the awarding of contracts without floating tenders.
“There are some urgent works that need to be done without floating tenders. Sometimes getting government approval takes several months,” Lal Thanhawla said, adding the works are executed on the basis of rates approved for earlier similar works.
The CM added that “due to inflation costs keep escalating, and the rates of goods become higher during the tender process. Therefore if existing rates can be used then it becomes cheaper so supplies/contracts being awarded at existing rates leads to less expenses.”
Courtesy: The Indian Express
