Bihar government revokes contracts worth Rs. 826 crore given out during the "Mahagathbandhan" era

Lalit Yadav, the head of the RJD, served as the state's PHED minister in the previous grand alliance administration.

Bihar government revokes contracts worth Rs. 826 crore given out during the "Mahagathbandhan" era.

A minister said on Tuesday that the 350 contracts worth Rs 826 crore that were issued for the provision of drinking water in rural areas under the previous RJD-led "Mahagathbandhan" regime in the state had been annulled by the NDA administration in Bihar.

He claimed that "irregularities in the process of selecting contractors" were discovered during an investigation by the Public Health Engineering Department, which led to the decision to revoke the contracts.

Numerous contracts were granted by the department during the previous state grand alliance government, which was headed by RJD. The department's investigation found that 350 contracts totaling Rs 826 crore were awarded without following the proper procedures. These included setting up hand pumps and small water delivery systems for rural areas, according to PHED Minister Niraj Kumar Singh, who spoke to PTI.

According to him, the department has sent the preliminary inquiry report to the state government's responsible body for a comprehensive investigation.

He stated, "I recently called a meeting of senior officials of the department after acquiring the report, and later the cancellation order was issued," threatening to take severe measures against anybody found responsible.

Lalit Yadav, the head of the RJD, served as the state's PHED minister in the previous grand alliance administration.

According to Singh, the previous administration gave the PHE department 1,160 contracts totaling Rs 4,600 crore in only 17 months.

"We have so far cancelled 350 contracts, the remainder of the are being examined," he said.

Nonetheless, the minister declined to provide specifics on the purported anomalies that the department found.

"It is not appropriate time to divulge the information as the matter is being investigated by an impartial authority," he said.

A maximum of 106 contracts pertaining to rural water delivery systems have been terminated, with Banka district topping the list, according to papers made available to PTI. Jamui (73), Lakhisarai (20), Aurangabad (18), and Ara (11) are next on the list.

Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, as well as BJP leaders, are afraid of our leader Tejashwi Yadav, according to RJD state unit spokesman Mrityunjay Tiwary, in response to the Bihar government's decision to revoke the PHE department's contracts. The previous 'Mahagathbandhan' administration in the state had implemented a number of people-friendly initiatives and made important choices like giving jobs to 7-8 lakh young people and social security to the less fortunate members of society."

The effect of the welfare schemes implemented by the previous administration, which helped lakhs of people in the state, has also "scared" the NDA allies, he said.

"RJD is not frightened of any probe let them (the NDA government) do whatever they want to," he said.