Ahmedabad: The material management and purchase committee of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) on Monday approved the purchase of 32 lakh cloth bags, made from cotton and polyester material, for distribution to 16 lakh households in the city.
Although AMC initially received tenders worth Rs 14.40 crore for 36 lakh cloth bags, they finalised the purchase at Rs 11.81 crore from various suppliers. The initiative ensures each household receives two cloth bags from AMC, aiming to decrease the use of plastic bags across the city.
Following the central govt’s restrictions on the use of plastic bags thinner than 120 microns and single-use plastic items from Dec 31, 2022, the AMC has ensured the implementation of the rule in the city. To facilitate the transition from plastic to cloth bags, the civic body decided to distribute the cloth bags.
The AMC issued tenders for the purchase of 32 lakh cloth bags. The procurement strategy allocated 50% of the order to the lowest bidder, with the remaining suppliers matching this rate for the other half. The committee granted approval on Monday after validation of the sample bags by experts from Ahmedabad Textile Industry’s Research Association (ATIRA).
The committee also sanctioned the procurement of DI pipes in various dimensions. The approved purchase includes 389,922 running metres of DI pipes from four suppliers, valued at Rs 153.16 crore.
Following the tender process, all four companies will supply the pipes at the lowest quoted rate within 60 days.