Investigate cement expenses: N Corpn

New Delhi: In a bizarre turn of events, North Delhi Municipal Corporation mayor Ravinder Gupta ordered a Central Vigilance Commission's inquiry into extra expenditure incurred by the corporation because of buying cement from Cement Corporation of India at rates higher than that of the market.
In a house meeting, the opposition alleged that an advance payment of Rs 20 lakh was made by the civic body to the CCI to procure cement at Rs 312 per bag, as against the market price of Rs 182 per bag.The opposition took objection to the purchase of cement from CCI on a single nomination basis without having floated tenders for the same.
However, North Corporation commissioner PK Gupta clarified that the purchase was made in accordance with the general financial rules as set by the central government.
An official in the finance department said, "In an emergency situation, we are allowed to make purchases on a single tender basis at rate contracts made by the Directorate General of Supplies and Disposals (DGSD). Now when this particular purchase was made the rate contract for cement was not made by the DGSD. Hence, the engineer-in-chief went ahead and made the purchase from the CCI. Since there is no evidence of any personal benefit made by the EnC in the same this is not a fit case for alleged corruption."
As the opposition demanded a CBI inquiry into the matter, finance officials were bemused as it is normal to make such purchases without necessarily floating tenders. of essential supplies like stationery, cement, computers etc at rate contracts determined by DGSD without necessarily floating tenders. "Even if the matter reaches the CVC it is likely to be dismissed as there is no vigilance angle in this. First of all the transaction never materialised and was only flagged off by the works committee on why we are purchasing cement from a PSU at rates higher than that of the market. Second, there is no prima facie evidence to suggest that the purchase was made for individual benefit," said the official.