<p>Bengaluru: Armed with a Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG) report, IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge on Thursday claimed that state-run Keonics witnessed a scam to the tune of Rs 500 crore between 2019 and 2023 when the saffron party was in power. </p>.<p>The minister said that his department would be handing over the CAG report to the Justice HN Nagmohan Das Commission, which is probing allegations of corruption, especially the '40% commission' charge, during the previous BJP government.</p>.<p>Priyank brought out the CAG report after the BJP demanded his resignation following the Keonics Vendors Association's charge that they had to pay a 10-12% cut to officials in order to get payments for pending bills. </p>.<p>Reeling out numbers from the CAG report to buttress his point, a combative Priyank said items were procured at inflated rates ranging from 38% to 1,577%.</p>.<p>"Going by this, MLAs and the minister concerned from the previous government will be in trouble. Now, whose resignation will the BJP demand?" Priyank said. </p>.<p>The minister alleged that the audit report found glaring lapses on the part of the previous government by not taking up third-party evaluation, scrutinising bills and grossly flouting several norms set by the finance department in clearing bills in a hurried manner.</p>.<p>Priyank asserted that the CAG report found the Keonics had procured goods at a higher rate without analysing market rate, resulting in huge losses.</p>.<p>"To set up Type-1 Computer Lab for the Tribal Welfare Department, the price variation was 474%. Procurement of computer accessories to set up labs saw a jump of 597%,” he pointed out. </p>.<p>Keonics paid Rs 63,720 to procure an amplifier, which is available in the market for Rs 3,799 — a 1,577% jump in procurement rate. One UPS was procured at Rs 29,200 against just Rs 3,200 in the market — a 822% variation, he said.</p>.<p>“CCTV and a monitor with six cameras were procured at Rs 6,72,600, which ideally costs only Rs 53,454 in the market. This is 1,158% higher than market price,” Priyank said. </p>.<p>Reacting to this, Keonics Vendors Association president Vasant Bangera defended the price variation. "A computer requires software that comes at a cost. Rates also go high because unlike a retail shop that provides one-year warranty, we provide 3-year warranty. What about the cost of transport, installation and all that?" </p>.<p><strong>CAG findings</strong> </p><p>* Extra burden of Rs 47.76 cr due to procurement at higher rates </p><p>*Payment of Rs 76.5 cr without third-party inspection </p><p>* Payments of Rs 71.5 cr without photo proof and inspection report </p><p>* Payment for materials supplied worth Rs 9.98 cr on forged third-party inspection reports </p><p>* Irregular payments of Rs 10.56 cr on fake bills and photocopies </p>
<p>Bengaluru: Armed with a Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG) report, IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge on Thursday claimed that state-run Keonics witnessed a scam to the tune of Rs 500 crore between 2019 and 2023 when the saffron party was in power. </p>.<p>The minister said that his department would be handing over the CAG report to the Justice HN Nagmohan Das Commission, which is probing allegations of corruption, especially the '40% commission' charge, during the previous BJP government.</p>.<p>Priyank brought out the CAG report after the BJP demanded his resignation following the Keonics Vendors Association's charge that they had to pay a 10-12% cut to officials in order to get payments for pending bills. </p>.<p>Reeling out numbers from the CAG report to buttress his point, a combative Priyank said items were procured at inflated rates ranging from 38% to 1,577%.</p>.<p>"Going by this, MLAs and the minister concerned from the previous government will be in trouble. Now, whose resignation will the BJP demand?" Priyank said. </p>.<p>The minister alleged that the audit report found glaring lapses on the part of the previous government by not taking up third-party evaluation, scrutinising bills and grossly flouting several norms set by the finance department in clearing bills in a hurried manner.</p>.<p>Priyank asserted that the CAG report found the Keonics had procured goods at a higher rate without analysing market rate, resulting in huge losses.</p>.<p>"To set up Type-1 Computer Lab for the Tribal Welfare Department, the price variation was 474%. Procurement of computer accessories to set up labs saw a jump of 597%,” he pointed out. </p>.<p>Keonics paid Rs 63,720 to procure an amplifier, which is available in the market for Rs 3,799 — a 1,577% jump in procurement rate. One UPS was procured at Rs 29,200 against just Rs 3,200 in the market — a 822% variation, he said.</p>.<p>“CCTV and a monitor with six cameras were procured at Rs 6,72,600, which ideally costs only Rs 53,454 in the market. This is 1,158% higher than market price,” Priyank said. </p>.<p>Reacting to this, Keonics Vendors Association president Vasant Bangera defended the price variation. "A computer requires software that comes at a cost. Rates also go high because unlike a retail shop that provides one-year warranty, we provide 3-year warranty. What about the cost of transport, installation and all that?" </p>.<p><strong>CAG findings</strong> </p><p>* Extra burden of Rs 47.76 cr due to procurement at higher rates </p><p>*Payment of Rs 76.5 cr without third-party inspection </p><p>* Payments of Rs 71.5 cr without photo proof and inspection report </p><p>* Payment for materials supplied worth Rs 9.98 cr on forged third-party inspection reports </p><p>* Irregular payments of Rs 10.56 cr on fake bills and photocopies </p>