Purchases above Rs 3 lakh to be done through e-tendering

Maharashtra government today told the legislative assembly that the cabinet has approved a new procurement policy in which all purchases of Rs 3 lakh and above will be done through electronic tendering.
Industries Minister Subhash Desai said in a statement that a decision has been taken keeping rising prices in mind and the need for transparency in government purchases.
Under the new procurement policy, small and medium scale industrialists especially those belonging to scheduled castes and scheduled tribes would be given priority, he said.
The policy's aim is to ensure that there is no autonomous power in purchases and that procurement powers are decentralised, he said.

He said that priority would be given to industrialists from the state if the lowest bidder is from outside the state.
Fifty per cent of contracts would be given to bidders, while the remaining 50 per cent of contracts would be given to industrialists from within the state, he said, adding that a website called mahatender.Gov.In has all details about e-tendering.
He said that this policy would be implementation would be from October 1 this year.