No e-tendering in villages till Sept.
The rural development department has decided to suspend e-tendering at the village level for four months due to the need for capacity building at both ends. E-tendering usually helps curb malpractices and corruption in the tendering process. However, experts point out that the process cannot be established without having a system in place — both at the government and administrative end.
E-tendering was set in motion on January 1, 2012 at all the three tiers of self-government. But the system, especially at the village level, had its fair share of challenges ranging from remoteness of areas, hilly terrain, computer illiteracy, lack of infrastructure and connectivity. Some of them even had area-specific problems, like the Naxal menace at Gadchiroli.
“This decision to suspend e-tendering has to be taken to give the village panchayats, the contractors and the others involved, some time for capacity development,” said principal secretary, rural development department S.S. Sandhu.
The principal secretary further added that the administration should be technically well-equipped, both with machines and men to implement e-tendering correctly. “Once the process starts, it must function smoothly,” he said.
E-tendering was initially opposed by MLAs and local leaders who were scared of losing control over administration. “However, after efforts from minister Jayant Patil there has been a change in mindset, people have now accepted e-tendering. But, what can be achieved at the taluka and zilla level where there is adequate availability of resources, is difficult to achieve at the village level,” said Mr Sandhu.
According to the statistics available with the department, more than 22,000 out of 27,900 odd villages are equipped to adopt e-tendering.
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