Tighter tender norms for bicycles

 The Karnataka Cabinet on Wednesday decided to tighten tender rules for purchase of bicycles to be given free of cost to government students. The decision was taken following companies quoting high prices for bicycles during previous years.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Law Minister T B Jayachandra said the lowest bid quoted for a bicycle was Rs 3,650 last year. The same company had quoted Rs 2,075 in Haryana.

While Karnataka had to pay Rs 3,650 per bicycle last year, Rajastha
 purchased bicycles at Rs 2,780 per piece, Chattisgarh at Rs 2,990 and West Bengal at Rs 3,206.

The government had been providing free bicycles to class 8 students at government and aided schools since 2006. 

Jayachandra said changes have been made in the tender norms making it mandatory for companies to disclose the prices they have quoted in other states. This year the government has set aside Rs 188 crore for purchase of bicycles. The minister did not give a direct reply to a query on whether an inquiry would be ordered on purchase of bicycles during previous years.

Jayachandra said the Cabinet decided to allow utilisation of Rs 495 crore of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj funds illegally parked in various banks for on-going drinking water projects.  He said disciplinary action will be initiated against those responsible  for the diversion of funds after a committee probing into the issue submits its report.

Garbage processing

The Cabinet gave its nod for Netherland-based company, Nexus Novus, for setting up a “waste to value” garbage processing plant at Yelahanka in Bengaluru. Jayachandra said 9 acres of land would be provided to the company for a lease period of 20 years. The plant will have a capacity to process 500 tonnes of garbage per day. The company also proposes to generate around 7 MW of power out of garbage everyday besides producing end-products like biogas and eco-bricks. 

The Cabinet gave its nod for allotment of Rs 675 crore as the state’s share of funds for the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana. It also decided to constitute an empowered committee headed by the chief secretary for administrative and tender approval for all works implemented by the BBMP beyond its delegated financial power.

The Cabinet also decided to approve lift irrigation scheme for filling 60 tanks in Anekal taluk and two tanks in Kanakapura taluk by lifting treated drainage water from Bengaluru at an estimated cost of Rs 240 crore.

Jayachandra said the Cabinet approved a tele-education project for primary, high schools and pre-university colleges at a cost of Rs 85 crore.