Shimla – BJP MLA Sudhir Sharma has brought forth allegations of a significant corruption scandal involving the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL). Sharma claims that a tender worth Rs 175 crore, financed by the World Bank, was fraudulently inflated and awarded for Rs 245 crore, resulting in a loss of Rs 100 crore to the state exchequer.
The scandal centers around a tender process that, according to Sharma, was manipulated to benefit M/s Bharat Kan Corporate Limited, a company registered in Uttar Pradesh in 2022. He asserts that the tender was approved hastily during a Board of Directors (BOD) meeting on July 3, despite numerous objections from the state finance department.
“The present government seems to have left the state on auto mode, with no oversight or accountability. Every day, new instances of corruption are being exposed, and this latest scandal is just another example,” Sharma stated.
The BOD meeting, which saw the absence of several key officials, was held to approve the inflated tender amount. Sharma highlighted that the meeting minutes revealed multiple objections from the finance department, particularly concerning the unjustified increase in the tender amount and the rushed approval process.
“The tender was awarded to a single bidder, a trend that has become all too common. The justification given was that only one bidder came forward, and to avoid the formalities of retendering, the contract was approved despite financial discrepancies,” Sharma elaborated.
The minutes also indicated that the cost of cables, initially not included in the tender, was later added and deemed the bidder’s responsibility, further inflating the project cost.
Sharma accused the Congress government of blatant corruption and suggested that the tender was expedited to cover expenses related to by-elections. “It appears that the current government is using state resources to finance electoral expenses, ignoring due process and financial prudence,” he said.
Highlighting the lack of experience of the awarded company, M/s Bharat Kan Corporate Limited, Sharma questioned its capability to handle such a significant project. The company, formed in Chittor, Bhajol Tehsil, Chandosi District, Sambal, Uttar Pradesh, has been awarded the contract with a cost increase of at least 39%, translating to a direct corruption of Rs 100 crore.
Sharma called for action against those responsible and demanded transparency and accountability from the state government. He also urged the tender process to be re-evaluated and conducted fairly to ensure no further financial losses to the state.
