The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Thursday demanded that the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) inquire into the ₹7.63-crore expenditure from the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation account for a five-day visit by Industries Department officials to Davos, Switzerland.
“Inflated bills were submitted by the officials. The money was actually used to bribe the officials, including Additional Chief Secretary Satish Gavai, who heads the Industries Department. It was done at the behest of the builder lobby, which heavily benefits from the State government’s industrial policy,” NCP chief spokesperson Nawab Malik said.
Mr. Malik presented bills from 2015 and 2018. “The Chief Minister’s expenditure for a trip to Davos in 2015 was ₹89 lakh and in 2018, ₹1.93 crore. How can the tour in 2019 with only five officials cost ₹7.63 crore?” he asked. As per the bills, $87,258 was spent on hiring cars, $3,27,454 on stay and $3,78,246 on office space rental in Davos. “A thorough enquiry must be held through the ACB. If not, we will go to the Lokayukta,” said Mr. Malik.
Mobile scam
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in the State Council and NCP leader Dhananjay Munde alleged a ₹106-crore scam in the purchase of mobile phones for anganwadi workers. He claimed that the Women and Child Welfare Department, headed by Pankaja Munde, issued a government order on February 28 to purchase phones for 1.20 lakh anganwadi workers in the State. The department would purchase Panasonic Eluga I-7 mobiles costing ₹6,000 to ₹6,500 each. “It will be spending ₹106.82 crore on the purchase. The mobile is not even available in the market as it has failed to attract consumers. Bengaluru-based Systek IT Solution Pvt. Ltd. is selling dumped mobiles to the Maharashtra government and the department headed by Ms. Munde is purchasing them,” he said.
Mr. Munde said the tender conditions were framed in such manner that only a certain product becomes eligible. “I had brought this to the CM’s notice and he ignored it. We demand a thorough enquiry,” he said. Ms. Munde was unavailable for comment.
However, the Women and Child Welfare Department has said the cost also includes mobile software required to upload information on nutrition for children in anganwadis, 32 GB SD cards, a dust-proof pouch and a screen protector. The tender process was carried out transparently through the GEM portal and the lowest bidder was selected after approval from the State-level purchase committee and high-power committee.