Amaravati, July 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) Andhra Pradesh's main opposition party, the YSR Congress, on Sunday alleged a Rs 112 crore scam in the procurement of laptops for government schools by the Education Department.
The party's student wing working president, A. Ravichandra, demanded that the government immediately cancel the tenders, halt the procurement process and order a CBI inquiry into the alleged irregularities.
Addressing the media at the YSRCP central office in Tadepalli, Ravichandra said the government is procuring 27,672 laptops for computer laboratories in 3,500 government high schools.
He alleged that the contracts were awarded in a manner that 70 per cent of the supply would go to Shanbe and 30 per cent to Celkon after the tender norms were relaxed to benefit private contractors.
He claimed that laptops available in the open market for Rs 45,000 to Rs 50,000 are being procured by the government for Rs 89,000 each, resulting in an excess payment of nearly Rs 40,000 per laptop. He alleged that this has caused a loss of about Rs 112 crore to the public exchequer.
Ravichandra said the coalition government ignored the Central government's Make in India and Government e-Marketplace (GeM) guidelines. He pointed out that the Assam Education Department purchased laptops with similar specifications for Rs 38,501 through GeM and questioned why Andhra Pradesh is paying more than double that amount.
He alleged that the tender conditions were deliberately diluted by allowing self-declarations instead of mandatory manufacturer details to benefit private companies.
Ravichandra demanded that Education Minister Nara Lokesh explain the huge price difference and disclose the entire tender process.
He urged the government to order a CBI probe, cancel the tenders and ensure transparent procurement of quality laptops for students. He warned that the YSRCP Student Wing would launch statewide protests if the government failed to act.
Meanwhile, YSRCP legal cell president Manohar Reddy demanded a halt to what he described as forced land acquisition in Undavalli.
He said what happened in Undavalli was not a normal land acquisition process but an attack on the livelihood of small and marginal farmers. He alleged that the government used a large police force and bulldozers to destroy standing crops and forcibly take possession of farmers' land.
Manohar Reddy told media persons that farmers in Undavalli, Penumaka and Nidamarru had been maintaining since 2014 that their land was fertile, comprised three-crop fields and should not be acquired. Despite their legal objections, the government ignored their concerns and hurriedly proceeded with road works. Banana plantations and other standing crops were destroyed while farmers watched in distress.
He questioned why the government acted with such urgency when a writ petition on the land acquisition is still pending before the High Court. He alleged that the government deliberately chose the weekend to take possession of the land so that farmers would not get immediate legal relief. He asked whether this amounted to contempt of court and demanded to know why bulldozers were deployed even before filing a counter in the High Court.
Manohar Reddy said the government failed to provide award copies, explain compensation details or even collect farmers' bank details before preparing compensation cheques. He alleged that while nearby land was reportedly purchased for around Rs 8 crore per acre by TDP leaders and their associates, farmers are being offered only about Rs 2.60 crore per acre.
He demanded that all forced land acquisition in Undavalli be halted until the High Court delivers its final verdict. He also sought action against officials responsible for destroying crops and asked the government to disclose land purchases made by TDP leaders in the Undavalli and Penumaka areas, alleging that the acquired land may later be handed over to private commercial projects under the proposed riverfront development.
Source: IANS
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