New Delhi: Imagine a serving spoon worth Rs 810 and a jug being bought for Rs 1,247. No, they are not extraordinary utensils, but ordinary ones allegedly purchased by the Women and Child Development Department for anganwadis in Madhya Pradesh. The prices of these items are quoted exorbitantly in the work order. There’s a whiff of an alleged scam that runs into crores. And the government has been accused of being involved in this “blatant loot” in Madhya Pradesh.
Utensils bought for 1,500 anganwadis
In Singrauli district of Madhya Pradesh, the government allegedly purchased utensils for 1,500 anganwadis. The work order states that the price of one spoon is Rs 810. In this way, 46,500 spoons were purchased for Rs 3 crore 76 lakh. The price of one ladle is Rs 1,348, so 6,200 ladles were bought for Rs 83 lakh. Moreover, the price of a jug for drinking water is quoted at Rs 1,247. Going by this, a total of 3,100 jugs were purchased for Rs 38 lakh. This tender was given to Jai Mata Di Corporation. The tender was awarded through GEM, which stands for Government e-Marketplace.
Congress slams govt
The Congress party has launched an attack against the purchase of these items at such exorbitant prices. Congress leader and former minister Mukesh Nayak said that the government is involved in a scam related to nutrition food. He added, “In our lifetime, we have never seen such an expensive spoon or such a jug. The government must have given the tender to one of its own supporters.”
Officer concerned found absent
In Singrauli district, no official is ready to speak to the media. The Women and Child Development Officer was found absent in the office. One official claimed that not 3, but 7 kind of utensils were purchased. However, neither a list is being provided nor any statement being given. When asked about the matter, Minister Vishwas Sarang said that if such a purchase has taken place, the government will investigate the matter and corruption will not be tolerated.
