Extra expenditure on carpets
SHILLONG: The CAG report has pointed fingers at the Assembly Secretariat for purchasing carpets at exorbitant rates resulting in an extra expenditure of Rs 32.24 lakh.
The CAG report stated that the Assembly Secretariat in April 2009 invited tenders for purchase (brand and quality of carpet to be supplied was not specified) of approximately 1715 square metre of carpet for the old Assembly Secretariat office.
Three firms, all offering to supply Unitex (Sonata) brand carpet responded and the rate of Rs 2200 per square metre quoted by Shillong-based firm M/S Hanumanbux Umadutt was the lowest.
However, in January 2010, the Assembly Secretariat issued the supply order to a Balat-based firm M/S PB Constructions which had not even participated in the bidding process and the supply order did not mention the floor area and the rate at which the carpet was to be supplied.
In May 2010, the supplier billed the Assembly Secretariat for 1714.69 square metre of Unitex (Sonata) carpet at Rs 2200 per square metre including fitting, fixing and VAT.
As per the CAG report, the Assembly Secretariat again invited tender in June 2011 to purchase carpets for an area of 855.50 square metre (approx) in the new Assembly Secretariat Office building.
Again three firms, all offering to supply Jutex brand carpet of Melody quality responded and this time too, the rate of Rs 1850 per square metre offered by M/S Hanumanbux Umadutt was the lowest.
The CAG report pointed out that the Assembly Secretariat in the same month issued the supply order to one Pelcy Snaitang of Balat, who had also not participated in the bidding process, to supply Jutex carpet at the rate of Rs 1850 per square metre.
The report said that to ascertain the reasonableness of the rate of carpet procured by the Secretariat, in April 2009 and June 2011, the audit in June 2012 obtained the maximum retail price from the local firms.
While the rates quoted by the manufacturer for Unitex-Sonata carpet was Rs 656 per square metre (excluding 10 per cent fitting and fixing charges and 13.5 per cent VAT on total cost of inclusive of fitting and fixing charges), the rate obtained from the local firm for Jutex Carpet was Rs 850 per square metre (all inclusive).
According to CAG’s audit report, requirement of Rule 8 (1) of MPSP Rules, 1990 was violated on both occasions.
The report also added that the Assembly Secretariat did not make any attempt to compare the rates offered by the suppliers.