Annamalai reiterates corruption in nutrition kits procurement

CHENNAI: BJP state president K Annamalai on Tuesday reiterated his charges of corruption in the procurement of nutrition kits for lactating mothers through a video tweet even as the State government denied the charges.

In the video, Annamalai wondered why the company that was accused of corruption in supplying Pongal kits was given a chance to bid for the nutrition kits tender. “The Chief Minister had said that the company would be blacklisted. Why was it not done yet? Why is Anitha Texcot allowed to bid again?” he asked.

BJP leader recalled the Health Minister's statement that the bids were not yet complete and that the technical bid was over but the financial bid was yet to be conducted. “They have formed a cartel to award the tender to the same company. The tender is almost over and anytime it will be opened, ” he said.

Releasing an image of the document, in which Aavin’s Health Mix has been listed as one of the products, against which it also states yet to be finalised”, he said that Aavin came forth and said that they were prepared to supply the nutrition mix. Aavin submitted reports to the Department of Health and Preventive Medicine, who also approved the product in the list of maternal nutrition kits, he said, pointing to documents pertaining to three meetings held in March in this regard and stating that the decision was reversed on April 8. “I mentioned two names already close to the DMK family who got the company name changed. How can we accept the Minister's explanation?” he questioned.

On the iron syrup issue, Annamalai also alleged that the same company which supplied iron syrup for the kit at a cost of Rs 200 per bottle in February, had bid for the same amount in this technical bid too.

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