Gandhinagar: The Congress has accused the BJP-led state govt of corruption in the procurement of bicycles for underprivileged girls from SC, ST and OBC communities.
GPCC spokesperson Manish Doshi claimed that the scheme, intended to distribute bicycles in June 2023 under the 2023-24 budget, was delayed due to alleged favoritism in awarding contracts.
Doshi alleged that tendering for the bicycles was intentionally postponed to benefit companies linked to the BJP’s “donate and get business” model for election funding. He further claimed that tender rules and specifications were altered, bypassing quality control standards. This, he said, resulted in the govt purchasing bicycles at a price Rs 500 higher per unit compared to other states, leading to an additional expenditure of over Rs 8 crore for 1.7 lakh bicycles.
When the bicycles were finally delivered in April 2024, Doshi alleged that a quality inspection at the Gandhinagar Quality Control Centre revealed the bicycles did not meet ISI standards. Thousands of bicycles, he said, have since been left unused in various districts, gathering dust and deteriorating.
Doshi demanded an impartial investigation into the alleged irregularities, claiming that around 50,000 bicycles were lying in storage across more than 15 districts. He called for accountability and questioned the govt expenditure and intent behind the scheme.