Pointing out a potential wasteful expenditure on procuring and repairing tabs for BMC school children, RTI activist Anil Galgali has slammed civic body administration and asked why it was spending 62 Crore when tab repair and course supply is possible at Rs 22 crore only. He claimed that efforts are being made to issue tenders worth over Rs. 40 crore in lieu of tenders issued for repairing tabs and supply of courses for the next two years. RTI Activist Anil Galgali has written a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Bala Saheb Thackeray and BMC commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal, seeking directions to start work on a low-cost tendering process, besides demanding for an inquiry into the tab tender issue.
In another letter dashed off to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, his principal advisor Ajoy Mehta, Civic Chief Iqbal Singh Chahal and Education officer Mahesh Palkar, Anil Galgali has pinpointed that the tender for tab repair and supply of curriculum for the next two years was frequently expanded in Brihanmumbai municipal schools. It also turned out to be a low-bid tender, but unfortunately, no action has been taken so far to honour it.
The amount quoted and fixed by BMC for each tab was Rs 5,200 and was subsequently agreed to pay Rs 4,974 on a lower bid for the tab in the tendering process. The tender was floated in June 2019. This entire process will cost BMC Rs 22 crore which will also include tab repairs cost and around 1300 new tabs.
"But unfortunately, BMC is not interested in this low cost and good educational course and now trying to buy 43,843 new tabs, with Rs 62 crore is expected to be spent on tab price and educational courses," claimed Galgali and said this will seemingly incur a direct loss of Rs. 40 crore.
"Given the interest on such an amount, there will be a further loss of Rs 10 crores. Trying to scrap the tab purchased 5 years ago is a waste of crores of rupees already invested," Galgali said asking if this is so, then why tenders were issued? He stressed out that this is a fit case for inquiry that when fresh tendering process has been completed, who will be the beneficiaries of this wasteful expenditure.
According to him, now if it is proposed to buy new tabs, it will not be of any use during the academic year. "On the contrary, if arrangements are made to repair currently running tabs, then it will not only save the money, but will pave the way for timely completion of the syllabus without disturbing the students," activist said.
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