Congress screams scam in power department

Panaji

: The Congress went all out against power minister

Milind Naik

for violating procedures and awarding two contracts worth over 300 crore, even as the

Goa State Works Board

called for the contract to be retendered.

According to the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee,

Naik

awarded a contract to recable 11kv high tension and low tension electricity lines to Larsen & Toubro (L&T), even though two other companies had submitted lower bids. "Milind Naik is in a hurry. The elections are near and a lot of money is required. Once the code of conduct comes, no file will move. He is rigging tenders for his benefit,"

GPCC

spokesperson

Sunil Kawthankar

said on Wednesday.

The electricity department had floated a tender worth 157 crore for electrical works in high tension and low tension distribution networks on January29 and six companies bid for the contract. The six participating companies included Voltas Limited,

KEI Industries

and Larsen & Toubro.

"At the time of the techo-feasibility evaluation on March 23, the financial bids of all three bidders were visible, which should have resulted in scrapping the tender," said Kawthankar.

Though Voltas Limited and

KEI

Industries emerged as the lowest bidders, the contract was awarded to L&T while

Voltas Electric

was disqualified when the financial bids were opened on April 22. "Voltas refused to pay kickbacks so it was disqualified and KEI was promised that it would receive another contract if it did not make any noise,"

Kawthankar

alleged.

Congress has alleged that Naik is receiving kickbacks and wrote to the chief minister and the chief secretary on May 24 alleging irregularities in the tender process. A meeting of the Goa State Works Board was held on June 21 with the power secretary Kunal present and where the decision was taken to retender the entire contract.

On August 6, Naik wrote a note overruling Goa State Works Board's decision and awarded the contract to L&T. On August 17, Naik awarded a contract to KEI Industries to supply aerial bunched cables and 20,000

RCC

electrical poles, the Congress said.

Kawthankar said, "The taxpayer's money is being spent to fill BJP election coffers. KEI were awarded the 145 crore tender which was tailor-made to suit them. They were also given the order of electrical poles, violating orders of the government as supply of RCC poles is the scope of the Goa Handicrafts Rural and Small Scale Industries Development Corporation (GHRSSIDC)."

"We will approach the Lokayukta with this case and demand a vigilance inquiry be initiated within 24 hours," claimed Kawthankar. Naik has rubbished the Congress' charge that the tender has been rigged.