PMC cancels plans to purchase new tabs after 6,299 found lying unused with edu dept

PUNE The Pune Municipal Corporation has decided not to go ahead with a plan to purchase new tablets, after an audit has revealed that previously purchased tabs are lying unused with the civic body

PUNE The Pune Municipal Corporation has decided not to go ahead with a plan to purchase new tablets, after an audit has revealed that previously purchased tabs are lying unused with the civic body.

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The standing committee of the PMC, on October 20, had passed a resolution to purchase new tablets for students in order to facilitate online education.

However, the PMC audit discovered that 6,299 tablets are lying unused.

Education officer Shivaji Daundkar said, “As the standing committee was not aware about the previous tablets purchased by the PMC, it approved the purchase of new tablets to facilitate online education. As all the old 6,299 tablets are in place and in working condition, the education department decided to use these instead of procuring new tablets.”

After the standing committee passed the resolution, NCP member and former chairman Ashwini Kadam had raised questions about the 6,299 tabs purchased during her tenure.

Kadam said, “When I was standing committee chairman, we purchased 6,299 tabs in 2016. All these tabs have been handed over to the school board. Despite having these tablets, why did elected members pass this resolution to purchase new tabs?”

After Kadam’s criticism, the PMC education department instructed its officials to check and submit a report. “We have got all the tablets which were lying in various schools. Most are in working condition and only a few were not functional. We have now instructed the contractor to repair those not functioning,” said Daundkar.