Tenders for dairy products to Pune firm as per rules: SGPC

AMRITSAR A day after Punjab cooperation minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa wrote to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), requesting it to review its

AMRITSAR A day after Punjab cooperation minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa wrote to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), requesting it to review its decision of procuring desi ghee and skimmed milk powder for gurdwaras from a Pune-based firm and not Milkfed (Punjab State Cooperative Milk Producers Federation Limited), the gurdwara body on Thursday said the tenders had been awarded as per rules and any controversy on the issue is uncalled for.

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SGPC senior vice-president Rajinder Singh Mehta and other office-bearers said the sangat (community) was being misled over it. “The SGPC invites bids through advertisements in newspapers and the firm with the lowest bid is selected,” he said.

“SGPC invited bids on June 26 for supply of desi ghee and skimmed milk powder from July 1 to September 30 for Golden Temple langar (community kitchen) and other gurdwaras under it. Pune-based firm Sonai Cooperative Society quoted ₹315 per kg (desi ghee) and ₹225 per kg (milk powder). Milkfed quoted ₹399 per kg and ₹250 per kg, respectively,” the SGPC office-bearers said.

Mehta said, “Had we allotted the tender to Milkfed, the SGPC exchequer would have spent ₹5.2 crore extra in three months.”

He also said, “Tender allotted to Milkfed for the supply of Verka fresh milk at ₹38 per litre expired on March 31. Due to the lockdown, we asked the Milkfed to continue the supply of milk at the same rate. However, they jacked up the rate to ₹42 per litre even as milk prices came down.”

The SGPC office-bearers said they received 41kg less desi ghee in 37 tins a few months back and when the matter was brought to the notice of the Milkfed managing director, he termed it a technical fault. “Randhawa should remove the shortcomings in his department, instead of targeting the SGPC,” Mehta said.