TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: After alleging a huge scam in the procurement of tablets under the Cyberage Scheme to be given to school students, with the tenders rigged to benefit a few distributors and manufacturers, and faced with a lack of positive response from the government, former chairman of the InfoTech Corporation Samir Kelekar has approached the High Court with a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition seeking that the court direct the government to stop payments and not to place any further orders under that scheme.
In his petition, a copy of which has been accessed by Herald, Kelekar has alleged that the tendering process is arbitrary, in violation of the terms of the Cyberage Netbook /Tablet tender is biased and with ulterior motive to favour the suppliers including — Syscon Automation, J P Computer Services, Delta Technologies, TechnoWorld and Apex Computers and Engineering Services.
The petition alleges that the product is on a price parity with a higher value product and is a “is a deliberate attempt to enrich [the suppliers] at the cost of public exchequer by causing loss to it.”
He also alleged that companies which were blacklisted by the Rajasthan government and the Goa University have been awarded the tenders despite there being a clear cut clause in the tender document that companies that have been blacklisted by government agencies or the government cannot take part in the bidding process.
“The haste in awarding the work order despite facts of gross irregularities and illegalities indicates an intention to be impervious to the facts that an investigation would make it difficult to justify the acceptance of the Cyberage Netbook/tablet tender from and place order on them,” the petition reads.
Kelekar had earlier alleged before the media that the government was paying almost Rs 2000 more per tablet that they are procuring and further the government is wasting money on e-content that is not up to the mark and that the supply contracts have been awarded to blacklisted companies.
The Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) too criticised the government saying that the tablets proved to be more of a distraction than anything else.
A notice has been sent to the state government and the respondents seeking their response in the matter.
The petition alleges that the product is on a price parity with a higher value product and is a “is a deliberate attempt to enrich [the suppliers] at the cost of public exchequer by causing loss to it
