Hans News Service Vijayawada

CPI state secretary Gujjula Eswariah has urged Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to order an independent inquiry into the tender process for the Bal Sanjeevani and Bal Sanjeevani Tribal nutrition schemes, alleging irregularities in awarding contracts and exclusion of women’s self-help groups (SHGs).

In a letter to the Chief Minister on Thursday, Eswariah alleged that the tender process for supplying nutritional kits to pregnant women, lactating mothers and children through Anganwadi centres was not conducted in a manner that ensured fair competition and equal opportunities.

He said the state had divided 26 districts (before creating Markapuram and Polavaram districts) into four zones for the procurement of nutrition kits. According to him, 53,787 Anganwadi centres are covered under the programme and around 4.52 lakh kits are to be supplied every month, with an annual procurement value of about Rs.172.80 crore.

Eswariah alleged that the kit price had increased from Rs.241 to Rs.283.19 in the general zones and from Rs 350 to Rs 446 in the tribal zone. He claimed that the difference in rates could result in an estimated additional burden of around Rs 29.22 crore on the public exchequer, and sought an independent financial audit comparing the tender rates with previous rates, market prices and those prevailing in other States.

He also questioned the eligibility of agencies such as Kendriya Bhandar and NCCF, alleging that they did not have their own manufacturing facilities despite tender conditions requiring manufacturing capacity, food safety licences and production-related certifications. He asked the government to explain why agencies disqualified in earlier tenders were subsequently considered eligible. The CPI leader further alleged that the requirement to supply to thousands of delivery points favoured large contractors and prevented small and medium-sized local units and SHGs from participating. He said the Supreme Court and government guidelines emphasised the participation of SHGs in supplementary nutrition programmes and urged the State to give them greater priority.

Eswariah demanded cancellation of the existing contracts, scrapping of the zonal system and fresh tenders on a district-wise basis to promote local employment and wider competition. He also sought re-tendering at the earlier rates of Rs.241 and Rs.350 unless the government could substantiate the revised rates.

He urged the Chief Minister to examine the tender notification, government orders, eligibility criteria, qualification and disqualification records, contract awards, quality-testing reports and payment details. He sought action against officials and contractors if violations were established and called for permanent guidelines to ensure transparency, competition, quality and social responsibility in future child nutrition procurements.