More than 0.18 million primary and upper primary students of government schools in Lucknow will have to wait for some time before they get new sweaters.
The education department invited tender via government portal on October 2. The department struck a deal with the lowest bidder who eventually refused to provide the sweaters as the amount was too small .
In this process, the basic education department ended up wasting more than three weeks. The department again invited technical bid on October 25 and the process had been initiated, said Lucknow Basic Shiksha Adhikari, Amarkant Singh.
Teachers across the state have opposed the basic education department directive of distributing sweaters to students of different classes in category of large, medium and small. They said the department should ask teachers to place requirement of sizes of sweaters, following which director, basic education told officials to get in touch with the teachers.
The state government on Friday tried to clear the air on the controversy over the alleged non distribution of free sweaters to students of government-run primary and upper primary schools ahead of winter.
The government said around 1 million sweaters were distributed in 51 districts across the state by October 31. Last year, the government had drawn flak for not being able to distribute sweaters even after onset of winter . District committees invited tenders through union government’s GEM portal (government e-market place) in 51 districts this time.
{{/usCountry}}The government said around 1 million sweaters were distributed in 51 districts across the state by October 31. Last year, the government had drawn flak for not being able to distribute sweaters even after onset of winter . District committees invited tenders through union government’s GEM portal (government e-market place) in 51 districts this time.
{{/usCountry}}The government claimed that after clearing technical and financial bids, sweaters were purchased at less than estimated cost of Rs 200 per sweater.
In a statement issued on Friday, the government clarified that tenders for the purchase of sweaters were invited again in the remaining 24 districts across the state due to technical problems in the GEM portal.
This process would be completed by November 10 and, thereafter, procurement and distribution of sweaters to students would start in these 24 districts.
The government has also extended the deadline to November 30 for the DMs of remaining 24 districts to distribute sweaters.