Nayagarh, Sept. 9 (UDN): A Rs 3.7 crore sanitation contract awarded by the Daspalla Notified Area Council (NAC) in Odisha’s Nayagarh district has sparked allegations of irregularities, with a complainant questioning whether the tender process was conducted in accordance with government rules.
The two-year sanitation contract, valued at a minimum of Rs 3.70 crore, was advertised nearly 11 months ago. Under the tender conditions, bidders were required to quote above the base value and submit all prescribed eligibility documents.
Complainant Questions Selection Process
Bibhuti Ranjan Panda, who has raised the issue, has alleged that the tender process was not carried out transparently and that officials favoured a particular contractor while evaluating bids.
“We only want to know on what basis the contract was awarded to another agency. We are seeking details of the entire selection process,” Panda said.
The complainant has also questioned whether every condition outlined in the tender notice was properly verified before the contractor was selected.
Officials Deny Any Irregularity
Daspalla NAC Executive Officer Abinash Mohanty has rejected the allegations, maintaining that the tender was processed strictly in accordance with government guidelines.
According to Mohanty, the contract was finalised through a duly constituted tender committee, with eight bidders participating in the process.
“The proceedings were conducted as per the government’s terms and conditions. We have not received any official complaint regarding the matter so far,” he said.
Contract Draws Attention
Given the contract’s value of Rs 3.70 crore and its two-year duration, the allegations have drawn attention to the procurement process. While questions have been raised by the complainant over the transparency of the award, Daspalla NAC officials continue to insist that no procedural violations occurred and that the tender was handled through the prescribed committee-based process.
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