Team Herald
MARGAO: The South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) is facing scrutiny over its failure to float a tender for sopo collection at the wholesale fish market, leading to significant revenue loss.
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In August-September 2023, the SGPDA, under chairman Krishna alias Daji Salkar, issued a tender calling for bids for the sopo collection contract, valued at Rs 3.88 crore.
The authority had anticipated generating Rs 32 lakh in monthly revenue from the wholesale fish market’s sopo collection, but departmental collections were averaging just Rs 15 lakh per month, sources claimed.
The process hit a roadblock due to a controversial clause in the 2023 tender that required bidders to have 10 years of experience in the fishing industry. While this clause was removed in December 2023, the tender process failed to progress. The SGPDA has not reissued the tender, raising concerns about delays and the resulting revenue shortfall.
Salkar had assured the media that a new tender would be floated by January 2025, allowing for the appointment of a contractor. The issue was raised during the monsoon session of the Assembly.
The tender has not been issued, and there is still no contractor in place. According to sources, the tender documents are ready, and the proposal is awaiting approval at the next Authority meeting.
Joao Fernandes, a resident of Fatorda, criticised the SGPDA for its inaction. “It’s shocking to see that despite knowing the revenue loss, the PDA is not taking this issue seriously. There seems to be something behind the scenes preventing the timely release of the tender,” Fernandes said.
Salkar could not be contacted as his phone was unreachable.
