Elangovan alleges scam in egg procurement for noon meal centres in Madurai

TNCC president E.V.K.S. Elangovan addressing a party workers' meeting, in Madurai on Wednesday. Photo: S. James

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president E.V.K.S. Elangovan has demanded a probe by the State government into the purchase of eggs for distribution to noon meal centres as “the authorities procured the eggs at a higher price”.

Eggs were provided with the meal every week for the children taking food in the noon meal centres.

While the intention was appreciable, there appeared to be a scam behind the procurement, he said at a party workers’ meeting here on Wednesday.

He said when the retail price of one egg was Rs.3.18, there were reports that the government officials in-charge of procurement of eggs paid around Rs.5 per egg.

1.50 crore eggs

There was information that the government procured 1.50 crore eggs every month.

It was common sense that when goods were procured in bulk, the rates were likely to be lesser than the retail price.

Hence, Mr. Elangovan urged Chief Minister O. Paneerselvam to order an investigation into the issue.

In an apparent reference to the exit of G.K. Vasan from the Congress, he said no force could destroy or weaken party.

“The party has very many stalwarts since its inception over a century back. The country has benefitted in many spheres and the party had been in power for 60 years. People may come, people may go. The party, with its ideologies, would emerge stronger in the coming days,” he said amid applause.

Claiming that the Congress would capture power in Tamil Nadu in 2016 might sound a bit unrealistic, Mr. Elangovan asserted that no political party would be able to come to power without the support of the Congress.

Instead of wasting time in talking about people who had left the party, he appealed to the cadre to work towards strengthening the party.

Packed auditorium

Utilising the opportunity to show their strength, senior State functionaries K.V. Thangabalu, Chellakumar, Rajasekaran, L. Murugesan, former MP J.M. Haroon, K.S.Govindarajan, ‘Annapoorna’ Thangaraj and former MLA Deivanayagam participated at the reception accorded to Mr. Elangovan at Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry auditorium.