A House Committee would be set up to look into the issue of alleged irregularities in the purchase of laptops for free distribution to students belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Backward Classes and lower income groups in government colleges.
Chairman of Legislative Council D.H. Shankarmurthy said the House Committee would be asked furnish its report within 15 days.
Mr. Shankarmurthy made the announcement in the Legislative Council on Friday after Minister for Higher Education Basavaraj Rayaraddi said he had no objection to the demand of BJP member Raghunathrao Malkapure for the same although the question of irregularities did not arise as the tenders had not been floated yet.
Raising the issue during question hour, Mr. Malkapure said the issue was of serious nature as the Commissioner of Collegiate Education Ajay Nagbhushan (who was suddenly transferred from the post), had given a statement to a newspaper that he was pressured and harassed after he objected to splitting the tender into different packages. He said Dr. Nagbhushan had mentioned about proposal to purchase laptops at a price which ₹10,000 more than the previous year’s price.
Repying to the query, Mr. Rayaraddi clarified that the said Commissioner (Dr. Ajay Nagbhushan) himself had recommended for splitting of the package to facilitate early supply and moreover, the tender had not been floated yet and the question of irregularities did not arise. He said the Commissioner had not written any letter to the state government on the issue and sought to know whether he had written to Mr. Malkapure.
Intervening, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council K.S. Eshwarappa concurred with Mr. Malkapure and demanded that a House Committee be set up to look into he issue. While House Leader M.R. Seetharam contended there was no need for House Committee, JD(S) member Ramesh Babu, BJP member K.B. Shanappa supported Mr. Malkapure.
Mr. Seetharam subsequently, after discussion with Mr. Rayaraddi, told the House that the minister had no objection to the formation of a House Committee.
However, the Congress members including V.S. Ugrappa, C.M. Ibrahim and others took exception to the decision and said it would only further delay the procurement of laptops, which had already been delayed by six months. But Mr. Shankarmurthy said the committee would be asked to submit report within 15 days to avoid further delay in the laptop distribution.
