New Delhi, Aug 6 (PTI) The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday alleged irregularities in the Delhi government’s procurement of bicycles distributed to schoolgirls, claiming that the bicycles supplied were different from the model mentioned in the work order and that the procurement caused a loss to the exchequer.
The Delhi government rejected the allegations as baseless and politically motivated.
Addressing a press conference, Delhi AAP chief Saurabh Bharadwaj claimed that the work order specified the bicycle model as “Hero Skyler 26T”, but the bicycles distributed were of a different model with “Skyler” stickers pasted on them.
He also claimed that the model mentioned in the work order has been discontinued and that the government paid nearly Rs 7,000 per bicycle despite the supplied model costing significantly less in the wholesale market.
Delhi government chief spokesperson Abhay Verma dismissed the charges as “factually incorrect, misleading and politically motivated.” He said the bicycles were procured transparently through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal in accordance with prescribed procedures.
Bharadwaj alleged that the bicycles distributed lacked features associated with the model mentioned in the work order, such as gears, disc brakes and front suspension, and demanded that the government disclose the exact model procured.
Verma said it was the first time that free bicycles had been provided to class 9 girls studying in Delhi government schools and the allegations were an attempt to create controversy around a welfare initiative. PTI SHB VN VN
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