Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 04 2009:
With only one firm responding to the open tender call issued at the international level for clearing Phumdis from Loktak lake, the State Cabinet has decided to invite yet another round of tender in case no agreement could be arrived at with the sole responding firm on the terms and conditions of the work.
In the open tender called by the Planning Commission for removal of Phumdis at an estimated cost of Rs 184 crores under Loktak Conservation Project, only one firm based at Kolkata responded.
But the firm has bid the tender with an increase of 90 percent from the actual estimated cost of the project.
According to a senior Cabinet Minister, a meeting of the State Cabinet this afternoon deliberated on the issue and decided to allot the work if the firm is willing to execute it at the rate quotation of the Central Public Works Department and to invite yet another tender in case of failure in negotiation.
The meeting presided over by Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh also approved creation of an OSD post in the Forest Department which would be equivalent in rank to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest.
Moreover, under the Revised National TB Control Programme, the Cabinet approved service extension of 95 employees who have worked for more than 10 years in the State TB Society or District TB Societies for another one year counting from April this year.
The service tenure for these 95 employees had been over by March this year.