State Government Overhauls Tender Process to Boost Transparency

The State Government has announced comprehensive reforms to the tender process, aiming to eliminate irregularities and favouritism. The Cabinet has decided to consolidate all tender procedures under a single unified system, bringing greater transparency to public procurement.

To facilitate this, a committee of experts will be appointed to review existing processes and recommend changes. The committee will also examine provisions used by national agencies like the National Highways Authority of India for awarding works, with the goal of adopting best practices.

The reforms involve amending Government Order (GO) Ms 94, which has been in effect since 2003 and is considered the foundational document for tender processes. Over the years, various departments and corporations issued separate orders that altered the original provisions, leading to inconsistencies. Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy stated that the amendment aims to rectify these deviations and ensure that projects follow proper procedures, including detailed project reports and administrative approvals.

In another decision, the Cabinet allowed gram panchayats to deposit their revenue in local banks and financial institutions instead of the treasury. This change, which requires an amendment to the Panchayat Raj Act of 2018, is intended to simplify account operations for village councils.

The Cabinet also resolved to reserve one of the five co-opted member positions in municipalities and corporations for transgender individuals. Additionally, it approved the preparation of a detailed project report for the remaining works of the Chinna Kaleshwaram project, which had been stalled by the previous government. Finally, 29 new posts were sanctioned for the degree college at Dharmapuri, following a request from Minister Adluri Lakshman Kumar.