NEWS TODAY 21.09.2024

 

MBBS: HC declines to award 5 grace marks

MBBS: HC declines to award 5 grace marks 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 22.09.2024 

Bengaluru : The HC recently dismissed a batch of petitions filed by several medical students, seeking the award of 5 grace marks in the course attempted in (MBBS) RS4 Examinations of Jan 2024. Justice S Sunil Dutt Yadav also rejected their prayer, seeking the quashing of the “Ordinance/Notification governing Central Assessment Programme (CAP) for Theory Paper Assessment of all Undergraduate Health Science Courses of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences” dated Sept 5, 2022. 

The petitioners claimed that the Undergraduate Medical Education Board guidelines issued on Aug 1, 2023, specifically do away with the award of grace marks, the benefit granted under the 2019 Regulations. They also sought a direction to conduct a fresh evaluation of the failed subjects of MBBS (RS4) Examinations of Nov 2023. However, after perusing the regulations and the guidelines, Justice Yadav noted that the standards of examination as well as such standards in the courses are a dynamic system that keeps changing and that the effort for elevating the standard of education is a continuous process and can be linked to the objective of the National Medical Commission Act, 2019. 

“It is but a natural process of any education system to constantly re-invent the course and examination patterns in order to produce high-quality professionals. If that were to be so, the promulgation of guidelines from time to time as regards examination must be looked at in the context of changes in the course and examination,” the judge said. “The provision of grace marks under the 2019 Regulations framed under the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, would have to give way to new standards of examination and evaluation as provided under the Guidelines framed in 2023 in exercise of power under Section 24 (1) (e) of the NMC Act, 2019 by the UGMEB. 

In light of the above discussion, the contention of the  petitioners that the benefit of grace marks, as was prevalent under the 2019 Guidelines has remained and cannot be accepted,” the judge further observed, while dismissing the petitions.

NEWS TODAY 20.09.2024

 

RG Kar ex-princy no longer a doc as medical council cancels registration

RG Kar ex-princy no longer a doc as medical council cancels registration 

Ghosh Couldn’t Contest As He Was Behind Bars When Notice Was Served

Sumati.Yengkhom@timesofindia.com 20.09.2024

Kolkata : Former RG Kar Medical College principal Sandip Ghosh ceased to be a doctor on Thursday with the West Bengal Medical Council (WBMC) cancelling his medical practitioner registration on Thursday, as it had said it would. Ghosh, an orthopaedic surgeon, will no longer be able to practise unless the cancellation is revoked. The striking off of Ghosh’s name happened on a day when various doctors’ organisations demonstrated in front the council’s office demanding cleansing of the council, which is mired in controversy. “We have cancelled the registration of Sandip Ghosh as he failed to reply to the showcause notice even after 13 days,” said a WBMC official. Council registrar Manas Chakraborti had told TOI on Wednesday that a decision on Ghosh’s removal from the council’s registration as a medical practitioner had been taken and that the official notice would be issued by Thursday.

 Ghosh, at present in prison, was served on Sept 6 a showcause notice by the council asking him to reply within three days. At the time he was already in CBI custody. He was arrested first on Sept 2 on financial irregularity charges, to which the investigation agency added evidence destruction charges on Sept 14. Thursday’s notice said Ghosh’s registration had been cancelled according to provisions under Section 25(a)(ii) of the Bengal Medical Act, 1914, and Sec 37 (iii) of the Code of Medical Ethics adopted by the council. Since Ghosh was already behind bars when the notice was issued, sources said he could contest the cancellation later as he was not available when the showcause was served. 

In a letter signed by its president, Dilip Kumar Dutta, and honorary secretary Sanatnu Sen, IMA West Bengal had sent a strongly worded letter to WBMC asking why it was delaying cancelling Ghosh’s registration. The medical fraternity has been alleging that WBMC is the origin of corrupt practices. Various doctors’ organisations held an agitation at the council’s office demanding the dissolution of the council and conducting fresh polls to elect new members.

Tirupati laddu ghee had pig & beef fat, fish oil: Lab report released by AP govt

Tirupati laddu ghee had pig & beef fat, fish oil: Lab report released by AP govt

 Sandeep.Raghavan@timesofindia.com

 Tirupati : A laboratory analysis of samples of cow ghee, supplied to the Tirumala temple trust for making its famous Tirupati laddu prasadam during the term of the YSRCP govt in Andhra Pradesh, has revealed presence of foreign fats including lard (clarified pig fat), tallow (beef fat) and fish oil. The report was made public by the TDP govt on Thursday. The samples also contained fats from vegetable sources like coconut, linseed, rapeseed and cottonseed. 

The analysis was conducted on July 23 after the govt received complaints of change in taste of the laddu prasadam. Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu had sparked a controversy on Wednesday when he told NDA allies that animal fat had been found in the ghee supplied for the laddus when YSRCP governed the state. YSRCP had reacted angrily, denying the allegations and claiming it to be one of Naidu’s political stunts. The analysis by the Centre for Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food (CALF) of National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), however, comes with a caveat — there can be chances of false positive results in certain circumstances. 

The report has listed several conditions where a result could go wrong, including in cases like overfeeding cows with feed rich in vegetable oils, underfeeding cows or the milk being subjected to technological treatments like removal of cholesterol. The report is silent whether the adulterants were deliberately added or crept in through feeding conditions and other factors. Naidu’s allegation and the NDDB’s report have shocked millions of devotees of Lord Venkateswara across the globe as the Tirupati laddus are considered Maha Prasadam and carry a high sentimental value. 

The TDP govt had in June appointed senior IAS officer J Syamala Rao as the new executive  officer of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which manages the temple complex. As part of streamlining measures, an inquiry was ordered into the alleged poor quality, taste and texture of the laddus. TTD constituted an expert committee to look into the quality of the prasadam. Apart from suggesting several measures to TTD to restore the taste and quality, the committee also sent samples of the ghee to NDDB in Gujarat. The lab reports, issued in July, confirmed the presence of foreign fats. TTD returned the ghee stocks supplied by AR Dairy Foods, Dindigul, in Tamil Nadu and blacklisted the contractor. Then, TTD selected Karnataka Milk Federation to supply the ghee

TN govt: Have already taken possession of MRC premises

TN govt: Have already taken possession of MRC premises 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK  20.09.2024 

Chennai : Tamil Nadu govt has told Madras high court that it took possession of the 160.8 acres leased out to Madras Race Club (MRC) on Sept 9 and sought to modify advocate-general P S Raman’s earlier submission that the state had issued only termination notice to the club and not taken possession of the land. The submissions were made on Thursday, when a civil suit moved by MRC challenging the termination of the lease came up for hearing. 

The club moved another application seeking time to hand over possession of the land to the govt. The club wanted the court to consider its application on an urgent basis since Sept 24 is the last date to hand over possession of the land. However, when the suit was taken up for hearing, senior advocate P Wilson representing the revenue department submitted that there was no urgency in the issue as the land had already been taken possession of by the govt. To this, senior advocate P H Arvind Pandian pointed out to the court a submission made by the AG before a division bench on a plea moved by the club challenging the action of the govt that the possession was yet to be taken. 

Recording the submission, Justice R M T Teekaa Raman wondered whether the revenue department is disputing the submission made by the AG, who is a constitutional authority. To this, additional advocate-general J Ravindran and Wilson informed the court that a modification petition had been filed before the division bench to modify the submission made by the AG, which is yet to be listed. Recording the submissions, Justice Teekaa Raman said: 

“You (govt) wanted to tie the hands of the division bench by AG’s submission and now you want the submission to be lifted.” The court then adjourned the hearing of the suit to Sept 23, for the department to file its counter. 

Over 1K MBBS students’ fate uncertain 3 Pvt Univs Don’t Have UGC Approval

Over 1K MBBS students’ fate uncertain 3 Pvt Univs Don’t Have UGC Approval

Pushpa.Narayan@timesofindia.com 20.09.2024 

Chennai : The academic fate of at least 750 existing MBBS students, plus another 450 preparing to join this year, is hanging by a thread, as three ‘state private universities’ do not have the mandatory University Grants Commission (UGC) approval. These universities are not listed under the UGC and, hence, they may not be able to confer degrees, said UGC officials. 

According to the UGC’s charter, a state must establish auniversity, be it state-run or private, through a separate Act or proper amendment to the existing Tamil Nadu S tate Private Universities Act, 2019. It cannot be done through a mere notification, as has been done in the case of the private universities – Srinivasan Medical College and Hospital, Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Institute of Medical Sciences affiliated with Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan University and Sri Venkateswaraa Medical College under Sri Venkateshwaraa University. However, the Tamil Nadu state selection committee is allotting MBBS seats to students at three medical colleges. Admission to Kanyakumari Medical Mission and Research Institute, which began this year, was withdrawn after round 1 of counselling following a land dispute petition in the Madras high court. 

“All these colleges were added to the seat matrix because they were approved by the National Medical Commission. The govt asked us to include it in the matrix,” said a senior official at the selection committee on condition of anonymity. “We don’t know if UGC has approved the university,” the official said. While the Tamil Nadu govt gave them a stamp of approval by taking the amendment route, instead of creating them by a dedicated Act, the National Medical Council (NMC) has allowed  them to be included in the seat matrix and enabling admission of students, even though the UGC is yet to approve their existence. On her part, Tamil Nadu Health Secretary Supriya Sahu said the issue would be under the purview of the higher education department. However, Higher Education Secretary Pradeep Yadav did not respond to messages or calls. 

When contacted, UGC chairman M Jagadesh Kumar told TOI that certain aspects of the establishment of private universities in Tamil Nadu were not fully aligned with the UGC Act and Regulations. “UGC followed up the matter with relevant state govt departments and requested them to establish the universities through a separate act or through amendments in the existing relevant state govt Act,” he said. The issue extends to seven proposed universities in Tamil Nadu. “The inclusion of these universities in the UGC list is pending since the passage/amendments of the Act in the state assembly is awaited,” he said. “The stipulated period given to the universities is still to end and we are expecting a resolution as early as possible,” he said. 

The UGC’s preliminary nod given to two of the seven proposed universities – Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan University and Jeppiar University – will remain if the reply from the state is satisfactory, he said. “If not, the initial approval will be withdrawn,” he said. Following communication from the UGC, the state higher education minister K Ponmudy introduced a Bill to amend the Tamil Nadu Private Universities Act, 2019 on Oct 10, 2023, “to protect the welfare of the student community.” The Bill, passed by the assembly, proposed to include the names of the university in its schedule. It is, however, yet to receive the governor’s assent. Legal experts say admissions to medical, engineering or any other courses in these ‘private universities’ will be void as these institutions are yet to be conferred the status of a “private university.”

IIM-I partners with 2 foreign varsities for dual degree

IIM-I partners with 2 foreign varsities for dual degree

 TIMES NEWS NETWORK 19.09.2024

 Indore : Indian Institute of Management, Indore, (IIM-I) has signed two memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with the Corvinus University of Budapest and the Robert Gordon University, Scotland. The collaboration is aimed at developing dual degree programmes and conducting joint research programmes. “The Corvinus University of Budapest, known for its strong emphasis on business and economics, and the Robert Gordon University bring a wealth of expertise and resources to the table. The partnerships will provide IIM-I’s students and faculty with access to cutting-edge research facilities, innovative programmes, and a broader global network,” IIM-I director Prof Himanshu Rai said. Corvinus University executive and PG programmes dean Dr Ákos Varga said, “This MoU will enable us to exchange academic staff and students, allowing for an exchange of experiences through lectures and workshops.”

NEWS TODAY 19.09.2024

 

Happiness dept teaches govt staff how to be ‘people-friendly’

Happiness dept teaches govt staff how to be ‘people-friendly’

Ankur.Sirothia@timesofindia.com 19.09.2024

Bhopal : Madhya Pradesh’s happiness department is set to teach govt employees how to behave well with public and find their inner happiness while they’re at it. After CM Mohan Yadav’s directives, the govt employees that directly deal with the public—such as patwaris, gram sewaks, police personnel, and urban administration employees-are being given this training. 

The three-day training is being held for a batch of 50 people in each five divisions-Sagar, Jabalpur, Indore, Gwalior, and Bhopal. Employees are being taught how they should behave with the public, what inner happiness is, and how to deal with stress. Happiness officials said that after the training of govt employees dealing with the public, next on the card is training for govt squads in tribal-dominated districts.

After CM’s directives, efforts are being made in the direction to make govt employees more people-friendly. It will work in two ways--first, the govt staff would be taught how to deal with stress and behavioural issues, and second, it would make a common man feel better while interacting with a public servant, officials added. While reviewing works of the happiness department on Aug 23, Yadav proposed that every district should have a centre for ideological and creative activities. MP had hit national headlines back in July 2016 when it became the first state in the country to set up a happiness department

Starting early: Pension a/cs for children

Starting early: Pension a/cs for children 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK  19.09.2024 

New Delhi : Now parents can start planning for the long-term financial security of their children, setting the foundation even for their retirement. Implementing the FY25 Budget announcement, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday launched the NPS Vatsalya, a pension scheme for minors. The scheme was launched simultaneously at 75 locations throughout the country, and over 250 PRANs (permanent retirement account numbers) were handed over to minor subscribers.

 FM said NPS Vatsalya is a significant step in govt’s endeavour to promote longterm financial planning and security for all citizens. Besides securing the future of subscribers, the scheme is based on the principle of intergenerational equity by providing cover to older and young members of the family. “My appeal to all parents is that when you attend a child’s birthday party, you can take cakes or other gifts, but money to invest in NPS Vatsalya will also be a form of gift. It will be a lifelong contribution to the child’s future,” 

Sitharaman said. the scheme will inculcate the habit of savings among young subscribers, and large wealth can be accumulated through the power of compounding. She asserted that the scheme will allow a dignified life to people in their old age. Nagaraju Maddirala, secretary, department of financial services (DFS), urged all stakeholders, including banks, for effective implementation and outreach of the NPS scheme. He said efforts are being made to include more workers from the informal sector into the pension fold. Deepak Mohanty, chairperson, PFRDA, said for pensions, an early start is a head start: small amounts squirrelled away could yield a substantial corpus by harnessing the power of compounding.

Scolded by customer for being late, 19-yr-old delivery executive dies by suicide

Scolded by customer for being late, 19-yr-old delivery executive dies by suicide

19.09.2024 

Chennai : A 19-year-old food delivery executive died by suicide at his house in Kolathur area here on Tuesday. In his suicide note, he claimed that he took the extreme step as he was dejected as a woman customer scolded him for being late when he went to deliver groceries. According to police, the deceased was identified as J Pavithran, a B Com student. He was a part time delivery executive with a food aggregator. 

On Sept 11, Pavithran went to a house in Korattur to deliver groceries. Police said that the delivery was delayed as he could not locate the house. When he managed to hand over the groceries, the woman customer argued with him for the delay. “Later, the woman raised a complaint with the delivery company and asked them not to send Pavithran again for delivery. We do not know what action was taken from the company’s side,” a police source said. 

Two days later, Pavithran allegedly hurled a stone at the woman’s house and broke a window pane. Following this, the woman lodged a complaint with the police. Pavithran’s parents were called and he was let off with a warning. On Tuesday, Pavithran ended his life at his house. TNN

HC quashes govt’s policy on study leave for engg lecturers

HC quashes govt’s policy on study leave for engg lecturers 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 19.09.2024

Ahmedabad : The Gujarat high court has quashed the state govt’s circular restricting the study leave for lecturers in govt engineering colleges and polytechnics colleges to a maximum of two years drawing only half of their salary. A division bench has upheld a 2022 order passed by a single judge when some 196 lecturers and assistant professors of govt engineering colleges had challenged the govt resolution issued on Feb 3, 2016. This GR, issued by the Directorate of Technical Education, had fixed the study leave period to a maximum of two years for those lecturers who go to universities across India and abroad to pursue their master's degree courses or for PhD programmes. While the services for these lecturers were to be con tinued without break, they would get only 50% of their salary during the study leave. The single judge had allowed the lecturers’ petitions and held the state govt’s policy invalid. The state govt had appealed against the single judge’s order on the ground that its policy was in consonance with the Gujarat Civil Services (Leave) Rules, 2002, which are framed under Article 309 of the Constitution. 

The lecturers, on the other hand, contended that AICTE guidelines in its Quality Improvement Programme (QIP) prescribe study leave for hig her studies like doctoral programmes up to a maximum of five years without break in service and on full salary. They argued that the provisions made in the state govt’s resolution were repugnant to AICTE’s provisions which, being the central provisions, should prevail. In an order released on Tuesday, the division bench dismissed the govt’s appeal and upheld the single judge’s order in which it was held that the GR had no statutory force. “The guidelines in the shape of regulations framed under the AICTE Act, 1987 have to be followed and in view of the inconsistency, the impugned Government resolution dated 03.02.2016 is liable to be set aside to the extent of the same being contrary to the provisions of the AICTE Act, 1987 and the guidelines framed thereunder,” 

2 Guj students opt for NEET centre in K’taka, score more than 700 marks

2 Guj students opt for NEET centre in K’taka, score more than 700 marks

Bharat.Yagnik@timesofindia.com 19.09.2024 

Ahmedabad : In a surprising turn of events, several students from Gujarat are now choosing to take the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to MBBS courses at a centre in Belagavi (earlier known as Belgaum), Karnataka. This is a departure from the trend of students from Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and other states coming to a centre in Godhra to take the test. 

In an intriguing case, a student from Gujarat scored 705 out of 720 marks in the NEET exam which she took at the Belagavi centre. However, despite her exceptional performance in NEET, she failed the Class 12 science exam conduc ted by Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB). She was also unable to clear the supplementary exam. The contrast between her NEET score and her performance in the board exam has left many puzzled, and the reasons behind the discrepancy remain unclear. The student, who studied in a dummy school, lives near the Gujarat-Rajasthan border. Another student, who also opted for the Belagavi centre this year, scored 710 marks and secured all-India rank of 700. This student had only scored 209 marks in NEET last year and held an allIndia rank of 6,85,184. Sources said the student is likely not from a GSHSEB school.

 There are speculations that he may have applied for admission under the all-India quota. Sources said, the curious case of students opting for NEET centres that are 1,000 km away from their hometowns warrants a thorough probe to uncover the reasons behind this unusual trend. It may be recalled that a Godhra centre is currently under CBI investigation for NEET-UG exam irregularities. 

Medical council to cancel exprincipal’s registration

Medical council to cancel exprincipal’s registration 

RG KAR MED COLLEGE RAPE AND MURDER

Sumati.Yengkhom@timesgroup.com 

Kolkata : The West Bengal Medical Council (WBMC) has decided to cancel the medical registration of former RG Kar Medical College principal Sandip Ghosh after Ghosh failed to reply to the council ’s show-cause notice, served on Sept 7, asking him why his registration should not be cancelled. He had been asked to reply within three days. Ghosh, currently behind bars, has not repl ied to the show-cause seeking clarification on charges of several irregularities against him. The council had written that in case of failure to r eply within the stipulated time, or if his explanation was unsatisfactory, the council may cancel his registration. WBMC registrar Manas Chakraborti said Ghosh’s registration would be c ancelled “by Thursday”. Earlier, Indian Medical Association (IMA) West Bengal had written to WBMC to cancel Sandip Ghosh’s medical registration immediately. “The entire medical frate rnity wants to know why even after such non-compliance you haven’t cancelled his medical registration number as per constitutional provision,” read a letter to WBMC presiden t Sudipta Roy by IMA Bengal signed by its president, Dilip Pal, and honorary secretary Santanu Sen.

Tirumala laddu had animal fat in Jagan’s term: Naidu

Tirumala laddu had animal fat in Jagan’s term: Naidu

Poor Quality Ghee Used To Prepare ‘Prasadam’ 

Srikanth.Aluri@timesofindia.com  19.09.2024

Vijayawada : Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday sparked a controversy by alleging that animal fat was mixed in the ghee used to prepare the famous Tirumala laddu during the term of the previous YSRCP govt led by Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy. YSRCP denied the allegations and said Naidu was making wild statements for political reasons. Naidu said that he was astonished to find that poor quality material was used to prepare Lord Venkateswara’s ‘prasadam’. He made the comments during an NDA meeting here marking 100 days of his govt. 

The temple trust prepares about 3 lakh laddus daily and the ‘prasadam’ is held in high regard by devotees. Terming Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) and Lord Venkateswara the greatest asset of the people of Andhra Pradesh, Naidu said the NDA govt is taking all measures to restore the sanctity of the temple. “They (YSRCP govt) have spoiled the quality of the free food service and did not even leave Lord Venkateswara’s laddu by using substandard ingredients,” he said. 

During YSRCP’s tenure in govt, TTD had given the ghee supply contract to a private contractor, replacing the ‘Nandini’ brand of ghee, a product of Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF). Following the change in supplier, there were several complaints over the quality of the laddu. The NDA govt on Aug 29 signed a contract once again with KMF for ghee. TTD uses about 10,000 kg of ghee every day for the laddu ‘prasadam.’ Senior YSRCP leader, Y V Subba Reddy, who was the TTD chairman during YSRCP’s term, took to X and defended his party saying that Naidu had committed a sin by hurting the  sentiments of millions of Hindus. He said the chief minister made false comments for political gains.

HC orders DME to pay ₹5L to ST candidate for admission error

HC orders DME to pay ₹5L to ST candidate for admission error

K.Kaushik@timesofindia.com

 Madurai : The Madras High Court imposed a ₹5 lakh fine on the Director of Medical Education (DME) for denying a medical seat to V P Arunagiri's daughter, despite her eligibility. The petitioner, a member of the Scheduled Tribe (ST) community, filed the case in 2018 after his daughter was unfairly left out during NEET 2017 counselling. Arunagiri's daughter scored 136 in NEET and ranked 43rd for 46 ST-reserved seats. However, three seats were allocated to students from other communities, leaving her without a spot. She was later offered a BDS seat, but it was from a self-financing institution, not a government college, which caused her to discontinue her studies. Arunagiri argued that had he been informed correctly, he would have made a better choice during counselling. 

Justice C Saravanan noted that the al location of seats based on national rankings in NEET disadvantages students domiciled in the state, creating a scarcity of local seats. The court held that the DME’s failure to file a counter affidavit admitted its error in the seat allocation. Though the full compensation was not granted, the court fined the DME for distress caused and allowed Arunagiri to pursue further compensation for the mental agony suffered by his daughter.

New scam exploits poor in city suburbs Fraudsters Open Fake Accounts, Use Offices

New scam exploits poor in city suburbs Fraudsters Open Fake Accounts, Use Offices

Vivek.Narayanan@timesofindia.com 

Chennai : Scammers operating from Cambodia and Laos have found a novel way to deceive private banks and open bank accounts for transferring money from online scams. They use unorganised co-working spaces to set up fake offices and hoodwink banks. The cyber crime wing of the central crime branch (CCB) attached to the city police registered more than 250 cases between Jan and Aug this year. Topping the list are 89 cases dealing with online trading and 45 pertaining to the FEDEX scam. Thousands of young people, including women, from India are sold by illegal job agents to Chinese-operated scam companies in Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos. Hundreds of them are from Tamil Nadu, particularly the western and southern regions, with a few from Chennai. 

These scamsters have agents in Tamil Nadu, especially Chennai, who source SIM cards and open multiple bank accounts. They target youngsters mainly from areas such as Thiruvottiyur, Ambattur, Tiruvallur and Vellore. These youngsters are promised ₹20,000 for an account. The agents first open GST accounts in their names and then take them to a local co-working office in the city using a day pass. “They fix a banner of the fake company. An outsourced person appointed by the bank comes for verification and the bank account is opened. Apart from co-working spaces, commercial spaces in suburbs that are available for rent are also used for this scam,” said a police source. The details of the accounts are sent to scamsters through message-sharing platforms.

 This process is used to transfer the money stolen through online scams to different parts of the country. The agents often receive instructions from their handlers abroad on messagesharing platforms, specifying which bank should be selected every day. “When police catch the fake account holders, they usually do not provide any information about the agents. We arrested a few  persons in Thiruvottiyur recently. Subsequently, the number of people agreeing to open the bank accounts have reduced drastically,” added the officer. An official of a leading private bank in the city said that of late, bank officials directly visit the applicant's place for verification. “We have also been creating awareness among elderly persons on different forms of online scams,” said the official.

SWD, road tender graft: DVAC books Velumani, 10 corpn officials

SWD, road tender graft: DVAC books Velumani, 10 corpn officials

A.Selvaraj@timesofindia.com 18.09.2024 

Chennai : Former ministerS PVelumaniof the AIADMK and 10 serving and retired officials of Greater Chennai Corporation have been booked by Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) for alleged corruption in awarding storm water drain (SWD) and road work tenders in 2018. The FIR filed on Tuesday is the fourth by the state govt’s anti-corruption agency against Velumani since DMK came to power in 2021. 

The FIR against Velu- mani, who was local administration minister from 2014 to 2021, is based on petitions given by Jayaram Venkatesan, convenor of NGO Arappor Iyakkam. DVAC said Velumani and the GCC officials, including former chief engineers M Pugalendi and L Nandakumar, violated all rules of business in allocating tenders and selecting contractors in 2018, which caused a loss of ₹26.61 crore. The agency began its preliminary enquiry into various tenders, including the missing link of storm water drains and the restoration of roads and footpaths. 

It was found that tender transparency rules were violated under the influence and directions of Velumani, DVAC said. M Govinda Rao IAS, then deputy commissioner (works) of GCC, was part of the tender scrutiny committee which approved the tenders, but he has not been named as an accused. 

DVAC: Under-quoted tender items were not properly executed DVAC singled out R Chandrasekar, a youth wing secretary of AIADMK and founder of KCP Engineering, for sitting in Velumani’s official residence and deciding which companies were to  be awarded the tenders. “This act vitiated and coloured the entire process of transparency in the award of tender. 

Freedom given by Velumani to Chandrasekar in dealing with GCC officials induced public servants to cause injudicious award of tenders,” an official from the agency said. The agency said M-sand was used by contractors for these projects, but payment was made on the basis of river sand rates, which were significantly higher. DVAC also found that the rates for ready-mix concrete decided by GCC were abnormally higher than prevailing market rates. In just 53 tenders analysed by DVAC, the alleged corruption in this aspect was ₹26.61 crore. “Contractors and GCC officials colluded with each other to cause loss to govt,” the agency said. It also alleged bid collusion by related parties who won tenders despite submitting bids from the same IP address. Of 73 SWD tender packages, 42 tenderers colluded with each other and helped each other win. The tender scrutiny committee, in which the GCC officials named in the FIR and Govinda Rao were members, recommended the award of 71 SWD tender packages and 14 road tender packages on the same day at one stroke without proper evaluation, DVAC said.

 Bidders had quoted abnormally high rates for certain items and low rates for others. Even after negotiations with the lowest bidder, the rate quoted by them was higher than the schedule of rate (SOR) and actual market rate. DVAC says the committee should have analysed the tender in detail, sought relevant information in writing and rejected unbalanced tenders. Avoiding this caused loss to the exchequer and violated the tender transparency Act as well. The agency also said under-quoted tender items were not properly executed, which was a violation of GCC’s internal circulars