HC Dismisses Pleas Challenging Maharashtra Govt's Tender For "Anandacha Shidha" Scheme To Distribute Subsidised Food Kits On Ganesh Chaturthi

In a reprieve for the Maharashtra government, the Bombay High Court on Monday dismissed petitions questioning the tender process initiated by the State to implementing it's "Anandacha Shidha" (Kit of Joy) a scheme by which the State would be distributing subsidised food kits to 1.7 crores beneficiaries for the upcoming Ganesh Chaturthi festival.

As per this scheme, which was first introduced for last year's Diwali festival, the food kits comprising of 1 Kg each of Suji (Semolina), Sugar, Chana Daal (Chickpea Lentils) and Soyabean Oil, will be made available at Rs 100. The scheme was also extended for Gudi Padwa (Marathi New Year) and now the government has announced that the said food kits will also be distributed for the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.

A division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar dismissed the petitions.

However, a detailed order is yet to be made available.

The petitioners - Indo Allied Protein Foods Pvt Ltd, Gunia Commercials Pvt Ltd and Kendriya Bhandar, had challenged certain conditions mandated under the tender, particularly - bidders must have 70 units and at least 300 labourers, for each work order.

Justifying the conditions, the State through Advocate General Birendra Saraf clarified that the conditions were mandatory looking to the fact that the Ganesh Chaturthi was nearing and thus, to ensure no delay in implementing the scheme, the bidders must fulfill the said conditions. The Advocate General emphasised that since the food kits have to reach to 1.7 crore people prior to the festival, it was thus mandatory to have such number of labourers and units, as mentioned in the tender.

The bench had reserved its judgment in the plea on July 31.