Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 18 2009:
Amidst growing apprehension among the people of the State on the impact from drought, serious suspicions have been raised about possible indulgence in fraudulent practices while purchasing water pump-sets for distribution to the farmers.
According to a source in Agriculture Department, the drought monitoring committee, constituted to tackle the drought-like situation, recommended procurement of 300 numbers of 8 Horse Power (HP), 7 HP and 5 HP water pump-sets.
Subsequent upon the recommendation, a market survey committee was constituted on June 22 with Agriculture Director as the chairman.
The committee also collected rate quotations.
Just as it needed prompt completion of all necessary procedures, the supply order for the 300 pump-sets was issued to NEBCO located near JN Hospital, Ayangpalli Road which deals in hardware goods, sanitary fittings and electrical goods.
On being enquired whether any tender was floated before issuing the supply order and the prices of each pump-set, officials of Agriculture Department refused to give correction information.
On the other hand, NEBCO agency submitted two bills for supplying 202 pump-sets of Kirloskar company at the rate of Rs 40,750 each.
Bill No I 16/AD and Bill No II dated 14-07-09 amounted to Rs 77,87,289 in aggregate.
The bills submitted by NEBCO agency did not, however, mention numbers of pump-sets of different capacities.
The bill voucher only presented the number of pump-sets supplied and the total amount incurred in the purchase.
According to information received by Agriculture Officer Hqs, the bill amount of Rs 77,87,289 has been released to the supply agency.
The proprietor of NEBCO agency said that although the supply order was formally issued to NEBCO agency, the pump-sets were actually supplied by some other persons.
For using the name of the agency, it got 2 percent of the supply amount, he confided.
He further disclosed that the rate quotation approved by the Agriculture Department was submitted by the same individual suppliers.
NEBCO agency did not submit any rate quotation, the proprietor added.
Till July 15, 285 water pump-sets have been supplied to Agriculture Department.
Of these, 70 have been distributed in Thoubal, 62 in Imphal West, 46 in Bishnupur, 57 in Imphal East, 18 in Senapati, eight in Ukhrul, six in Tamenglong, 13 in Churachandpur and five in Chandel district.
However, the source refused to divulge numbers of pump-sets having different capacities.