The government on Sunday constituted two committees to scrutinise tenders over Rs 50 crore and to study the political representation of backward classes.
The tender scrutiny committee (TSC) is being set up to ensure transparency and curb irregularities in the tender process, according to the government.
It will be headed by retired High Court judge Justice Rathnakala, with the retired secretary of Water Resources Department B G Gurupadaswamy and retired director of state accounts and audit department K Nandakumar as its members.
TSC was approved by the state Cabinet in November last year to clear all tenders above Rs 50 crore before they are floated by government
bodies.
During the review, the committee is expected to prevent exaggeration of funds required and check the cost escalation of projects.
The committee was constituted close on the heels of 40 per cent kickback allegations by the Karnataka State Contractors’ Association.
The government had said that it was required due to complaints of huge variations in estimates proposed while floating tenders.
A commission headed by Justice Bhaktavatsala will conduct a study on the political representation of other backward classes (OBCs).
Retired IAS officer C R Chikmath will be a member of the Commission. It was constituted based on the three-prong formula recommended by the Supreme Court in a case related to ensuring suitable representation for OBCs in Panchayat Raj institutions and urban local bodies.
The government had discussed the issue at an all-party meeting on March 23 and 31, where it was decided to hold the elections to these institutions only after making provisions for reservations for these communities.
The commission would make suitable recommendations after studying the political backwardness of these communities.
(Published 08 May 2022, 17:11 IST)
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