Minister Anil Kumar Yadav refutes Chandrababu Naidu’s charges, says re-tendering will save public money

Speaking to reporters at the YSRC office in Tadepalli, Water Resources Minister Anil Kumar Yadav also rubbished as baseless the allegations made by former Chief Minister and TDP supremo N Chandrababu

Andhra Pradesh Minister for Irrigation Anil Kumar Yadav addressing media during a press meet in Vijayawada. | ( Photo | EPS ) 

VIJAYAWADA: Water Resources Minister Anil Kumar Yadav has claimed that the state government had set a precedent in the country by saving exchequer’s money through reverse tendering process.

Noting that Rs 58.53 crore was saved in the first-ever reverse tendering process held for package 65 (left main canal works) of Polavaram irrigation project on Friday, he added that the same would be continued by all the departments for all the projects. 

Speaking to reporters at the YSRC office in Tadepalli on Saturday, the minister also rubbished as baseless the allegations made by former Chief Minister and TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu.

“For the first time in the country, Andhra Pradesh had gone for reverse tendering, setting a precedent for other States. We were able to save Rs 58.53 crore in small works worth Rs 274.25 crore. This is due to the vision of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Imagine how much can be saved through reverse tendering in all projects across departments. On the other hand, under the TDP regime, all contracts were awarded at least 4-5 per cent in excess of tender value,” he alleged, adding that the judicial review committee constituted by the YSRC dispensation would add more transparency to the tendering process.

Anil Kumar also lambasted Naidu for making baseless allegations over reverse tendering to favour a particular company.

“The same firm which quoted 4.77 per cent higher in the previous regime, now quoted 15.6 per cent lower than the contract value. Also, we are not stopping any firm from participating in the bidding. Even Navayuga Engineering Company Ltd can participate in it. So, where is the question of favouring someone?” he sought to know.

He found fault with Naidu for claiming that the TDP government completed 70 per cent works of the project.

“About Rs 32,000 crore worth works of the Rs 55,000 crore project, which means 60 per cent, are pending. Naidu failed in rehabilitation and resettlement of the project affected families also. Of the 1.05 lakh houses, only 4,000 were built,” he said.