Catering Monopoly: Selecting caterer without tender?
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, July 21 2012:
Sidelining complaints over poor services of the present catering firm in the two Manipur Bhawans at Delhi, the state government is likely to give the green signal to the same firm to carry on with the catering service even after expiry of its contract term.
At present the catering services in both the Manipuri Bhawans in Delhi, the first located at Sardar Patel Marg, New Delhi-2 and the other (Manipur Tikendrajit House) located at Bir Tikendrajit Marg, Chanakyapuri, is assigned to one M/S Jumsi Restaurant.
The restaurant is located at C-4/F/160 Janakpuri, New Delhi.
The contract period of the said restaurant is due to expire on July 31 .
According to reliable source, as the service period is about to get expired, the Jumsi Restaurant submitted an application to the Resident Commissioner, Manipur Bhawan, 2-Sadar Patel Marg on June 28 requesting for extension of the contract period for rendering catering services in both the Manipur Bhawans for another year with effect from August 1, 2012 .
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Consequently, Rakesh Ranjan, Resident Commissioner, Government of Manipur, New Delhi has written to the Commissioner, General Administrative Department (GAD), Government of Manipur for approving the request for extension of the contract period with Jumsi Restaurant for another year.
In his written missive, the Resident Commissioner recommended that the services of Jumsi Restaurant are by and large satisfactory and complaints received are addressed by them from time to time.
It also mentions that both the Bhawans should be with the same caterer as it is easier to deal with one person apart from ensuring a minimum size of business for the caterer, the source disclosed.
The source further revealed that the Jumsi Restaurant is owned by one Pravin Chanana from Haryana.
He has been doing the catering services since 2008, since the time retired IAS officer P Bharat was the Commissioner of GAD.
Jumsi Restaurant was permitted to do the catering services in both the Bhawans in spite of expiry of contract term which is normally for one year and without calling tender to attract new and effective firms.
There is all likelihood that the same trend would continue this time.
There have been reports of guests in Manipur Bhawans falling sick after consuming oily foods served by the Restaurant.
Apart from this, the guests are starved of indigenous Manipuri dishes and they are often found going to other nearby Bhawans as the foods there are testier and cheaper.