Major ‘scam’ in hologram tenders
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A Rs 250-crore scam in the state excise department is suspected in relation to hologram tenders. Excise officials did not work out the price and left it to bidders to quote the price, resulting in a strange situation, it is learnt. It so happened that, in the absence of any Internal Bench Mark price (the estimated price the department arrived at before calling for tenders) for each hologram, excise officials recently informed liquor distilleries that each hologram would cost 37 paise.
Significantly, what the department quoted was a higher price, though some companies bidding for the hologram tender had offered to supply each hologram at as low as 15 to 18 paise. The distillers were informed about the hologram price during a recent meeting when they asked for the price, so as to arrive at the basic liquor price at which they would supply the government-owned wholesaler, AP Beverages Corporation Ltd. As per the bid document of the excise department, the company that bags the contract shall supply 22 crore holograms every month for five years. This will cost the exchequer Rs 488 crore at the rate of 37 paise and Rs 237 crore at 18 paise and Rs 198 crore at 15 paise.
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