The Karnataka government announced on Wednesday, 20 April, that it would form a three-member panel to clear tender proposals for all public projects worth more than Rs 50 crore in an attempt to reduce corruption in approving contracts, reported news agency PTI.
The panel, comprising a retired high court judge and two experts, will review estimates and the tender conditions under the provisions of the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act (KTPPA) for all tenders above Rs 50 crore, said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
The CM told reporters on Wednesday that the tender process would only start once the project was reviewed and cleared by the high-level committee.
The decision comes amidst a controversy over former minister KS Eshwarappa's involvement in an abetment to suicide case of a Belagavi-based contractor Santhosh Patil, who had accused the minister of corruption. Patil was found dead at a lodge in Karnataka's Udupi.
An MLA from Shivamogga, Eshwarappa claimed that allegations against him were a "conspiracy", hours before resigning from his ministerial post on 14 April.
Panel To Be ‘Deterrent to Corruption’: CM Bommai
He added that the panel would act as a “deterrent to corruption” and will clear every estimate in 15 days.
"A Government Order has been passed and in a few days, the commission will be set up. This will be a deterrent against corruption. The judge and members will be named in a week. Every estimate has to be cleared in 15 days," Bommai said.
The government has also ordered a complete ban on starting any project based on verbal instructions of ministers or higher officials.
CM Bommai said, "I have ordered that all the instructions should be in writing so as to have a system. This will be implemented soon."
(With inputs from PTI.)
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