MARGAO: The Margao Municipal Council (MMC) has concluded a contentious tender process by awarding contracts for sopo collection to two bidders, totalling Rs 36 lakh. These contracts will cover the period from November 2023 to March 2024, aligning with the fiscal year’s conclusion in March, explained MMC Chief Officer Gaurish Shankwalkar.
Shankwalkar clarified that the earlier tender process during this fiscal year was not unsuccessful due to a lack of bids, dispelling misconceptions to the contrary. It may be recalled that prior to this second tendering process, the sopo auction faced controversy when the related file mysteriously disappeared from the MMC’s offices, remaining untraceable and leading to a bitter blame game. However, Shankwalkar said that they managed to reconstruct the file and resume the auction process.
He emphasised that the missing file contained notations related to the e-tendering of the sopo, which had no substantial impact on the auction process. He added that there was no need to file an FIR regarding the missing file, despite demands from the Shadow Council for Margao (SCM).
The MMC stands to generate revenue of over Rs seven lakh per month from these contracts. While this revenue may not be significant for an A-class municipality, MMC officials anticipate revenue growth now that the sopo collection process is back on track.
Sources within the municipality highlighted the MMC’s diligence in ensuring a fair and transparent tendering process. Although prior experience in sopo collection was not a requirement, successful bidders had to be registered with the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). Additionally, a condition was set that bidders should not have defaulted on payments to the civic body.
Sources also revealed resistance faced by MMC officials involved in the sopo auction, allegedly from certain councillors. They pointed out a significant drop in revenue when the MMC internally managed the sopo collection compared to when it was outsourced, suggesting a potential reason for attempts to disrupt the auction.
