Joykisan quizzes Govt over blacklisted contractor
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 06 2018:
Congress MLA Kh Joykisan today quizzed the State Government over allotment of work order for a road project to contractor M/S SN Pavei which has been already blacklisted by the NHIDCL.
To a query raised by Joykisan during question hour in the State Assembly today whether any work orders were issued to contractors blacklisted by NHIDCL, Works Minister Th Biswajit replied that there was a case of issuing work order to M/S SN Pavei which had been blacklisted by NHIDCL.
Biswajit said that the work order was issued after the Deputy Secretary (Works) sent an intimation letter to the PWD Chief Engineer.
After listening to the Minister's reply, Joykisan pointed out that NHIDCL is an implementing agency of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).
He went on to ask whether the department can overrule the Ministry and issue work order to a contractor blacklisted by NHIDCL for a contract work funded by the Ministry.
He further asked if it was only one work order which had been allotted to M/S SN Pavei.
Rules say.
that any bidder/ contractor which has a litigation history should be disqualified during the tender process, said Joykisan and further asked whether M/S SN Pavei submitted any documents about facing litigation or blacklisting.
Biswajit replied that the department came to know that NHIDCL had blacklisted M/ S SN Pavei by way of an RTI application after the tender process had begun.
The Minister clarified that no second work order was issued to the particular contractor.
Even though the particular road work is funded by the Ministry there was no intimation from the Ministry which prohibited issuance of work orders to M/S SN Pavei.
Moreover, the State Government is not controlled by NHIDCL in such matters.
Nonetheless, if there is an instruction or final verdict from the Ministry, the work order allotted to M/S SN Pavei would be cancelled otherwise the work order will remain valid, asserted the Works Minister.
Claiming that it is his privilege as a Member of the House to seek cancellation of the work order allotted to the contractor which has faced litigation, Joykisan sought annulment of the tender process and disqualification of the particular contractor.
Later the Speaker stated that the matter has been understood and asked the Opposition Member to raise the same when a relevant item is taken up in the House.
To a query raised by Dr Chaltonlien Amo, Finance Minister Y Joykumar stated that the total amount sanctioned for Pherzawl district administration is Rs 271.33 lakh and it includes salary component of Rs 202.63 lakh.
Replying to a question raised by O Henry, Joykumar further informed the House that implementation of the 7th Central Pay Commission's recommendations would require thorough consideration of the technical findings of the fitment committee as well as the resource position of the Statwe.
WRD Minister Letpao Haokip stated that Rs 7.50 crore have been incorporated in the revised estimate of 2017-18 for repairing damages done by floods.
Tender process is going on so as to issue work orders, Letpao said responding to a query raised by MLA Fazur Rahirn.
Replying to a question raised by Okram Surjakumar, Industries Minister Biswajit said that 39 MoUs were signed between the State Government and private companies/investors during the North East Development Summit held at Imphal on November 21 and 22 last year.
As the projects taken up according to the MoUs are in initial stages, profit sharing mechanism would be worked out only after the quantum of investment is assessed, Biswajit said.
To a corollary question raised by the Congress MLA, Biswajit stated that employment generated by projects taken up under MoUs would be counted in the State Government's objective of creating 7.5 lakh jobs within five years.
The State Government has been working to revive the 30 per cent subsidy given to industrial units established in the North East region and if possible, get the subsidy increased, Biswajit added.
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