Jai Ram raises questions over Phina Singh project’s tender process
Thakur said that the manipulations being done by the Sukhu government in the tender terms are causing a loss of crores to the state
Former Himachal chief minister and leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur on Sunday accused the Sukhu government of looking for ways to indulge in corruption in the Phina Singh irrigation project funded by the central government.
Thakur said that the manipulations being done by the Sukhu government in the tender terms are causing a loss of crores to the state. “By banning joint ventures, the Sukhu government is not only flouting the rules but also pushing many big companies out of the tender process. As a result, several companies were excluded, reducing competition. This pre-planned game paved the way for the government’s favoured companies to step in and act together,” he said in a statement.
He said this situation arose because the government banned joint ventures and excluded many companies from the tender process. Had more companies participated in the bidding, the tender could have been awarded at 25 to 30% less, potentially saving the state ₹75 to 90 crore, said Jai Ram.
He further said that in light of these revelations, the government should immediately halt the tender process and investigate all allegations. The long-awaited Phina Singh irrigation project in Kangra district, which was started in 2011, was included under PMKSY in July 2024 by the Centre. The project aims to interlink Kalam Nallah and Chaki River — two tributaries of the Beas river flowing through Nurpur. It also involves constructing a concrete gravity dam across the Chaki river. Water from the dam is to be transported through a 4,307-m tunnel to irrigate 4,025 hectares across 60 villages in Nurpur.
