No commission allegation on Congress by contractors, says Priyank Kharge
'Contractors have asked for clearance of bill'
Bengaluru: Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge has refuted the BJP's allegation that the Congress government in the state has demanded 15 per cent commission from the BBMP contractors, stating that the contractors' association has not accused the government of asking for commission but only asked to be paid for their services at projects.
Speaking to the media at the Vidhana Soudha on Thursday, Kharge called it merely an act of desperation by the BJP. “The contractors' association has not stated anywhere that the government has asked them for a commission. The contractors have only said that their bills have not been cleared by the government,” said the minister.
“Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Minister DK Shivakumar have already clarified on the matter. The Chief Minister has additionally said that the contractors will be paid after completion of the work. The BJP, however, has continued making its charges. Do I consider that the BJP itself has taken a bribe to do so?” asked Kharge.
He suggested to the BJP to concentrate now on selection of the Opposition Leader for the Karnataka Assembly rather than criticize the Congress government.
Former Chief Minister Basavaraja Bommai had said earlier that the contractors' association had spoken to senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi too, about the 65 per cent commission demanded by the Congress government.
“Rahul Gandhi, who claims to be intolerant of corruption, should intervene in the matter and ensure that the contractors' bills is cleared. If he fails to do so, it would mean that Karnataka is an ATM for the Congress,” Bommai told reporters at his RT Nagar residence in the city on Thursday, after receiving a memorandum from the office-bearers of the BBMP Contractors' Association requesting that their bills be cleared.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Karnataka procured 16 lakh expired RT-PCR kits during Covid wave: D’Cunha commission
Bengaluru: Justice John Michael D’Cunha’s committee has uncovered significant irregularities in the procurement of medical supplies during the Covid-19 pandemic, revealing that more than 16 lakh RT-PCR test kits purchased by Karnataka in 2022 under the BJP-led government were either expired or close to their expiry dates.
After irregularities in PPE kit purchases, ventilators have also come under the scanner, with the report highlighting discrepancies amounting to Rs 173.26 crore in purchases made by the Medical Education Department.
The commission has also found that the Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation Ltd. (KSMSCL) that cancelled a supply order for one lakh Rapid Antigen (RAT) kits placed with a Singapore-based company in March 2020 — for delay in supplying — has not recovered the Rs 6.99 crore paid to the company towards the order, as reported by The Hindu on Thursday.
According to the 279-page report on procurements made by the KSMSCL that is compiled in part IV of the report, a payment of Rs 148.84 crore was made by KSMSCL to various suppliers and firms towards procurement of RT-PCR kits from 2020 to 2022.
The Commission’s report, as cited by the publication, stated that there were records indicating procurement of RT-PCR kits, RNA extraction kits and Viral transport media (VTM) of a total value of Rs 106.25 crore during the pandemic in Karnataka. However, according to the report, this procurement was made without administrative approval.
“Since the KSMSCL has failed to discharge its obligation and responsibility, the loss caused to the State exchequer to this extent is required to be replenished by the erring officers and/or officials of the KSMSCL as well as the officers and/or officials of the consignee designated laboratories who received the consignment,” the report said, pegging the losses due to expired kits supplied by companies at Rs 3.11 crore.
In response to the report’s findings, state Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao criticised the saffron party for profiting from the pandemic. He promised accountability for the irregularities involving PPE kits and ventilators, stating that those responsible would face punishment.
