DoT to act against officers discouraging indigenous product purchase

The telecom department will act against officers found responsible for inserting clauses in tender with malafide intent that restrict purchase of indigenous products in government projects.

"Disciplinary action will be taken against erring officers who insert restrictive tender condition against local suppliers with a malafide intent or otherwise flout the provisions of PPP-MII order," the new rules issued by the DoT said.

Under the Public Procurement (Preference to Make in India), the department has notified list of 36 telecom product and equipments that should be given preference in the purchase for public projects.

"...this notification shall be applicable to all central schemes, central sector schemes, for which procurement is made by states and local bodies, if that project or scheme is fully or partially funded by the government of India, including universal service obligation fund projects," the order said.

The notified list includes routers, network equipments, encryption platform, set-top-boxes, 2G to 4G mobile antennas, wifi based broadband systems, security and surveillance communication systems etc.

The rules require local suppliers to make their products in India by procuring components locally. The DoT has notified product category along with percentage of local components that they should have for eligibility under the new rule.

Any entity can file complaint against the supplier shortlisted under the policy against a complaint fee of Rs 2 lakh or 1 per cent of the locally supplied telecom products, services or works being procured, whichever is higher, the order said.

"In case, the complaint is found to be incorrect, the complaint fee shall be forfeited. In case, the complaint is upheld in part or full, deposited fee of the complainant will be refunded without any interest," the order said.