SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Jan 19: The Jharkhand Industries and Trade Association (JITA) has urged Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) for adopting a Local Tender Enquiry (LTE) policy on par with other subsidiaries of Coal India Limited (CIL) in purchasing materials worth below Rs 2 lakh.
In a letter to BCCL Chairman cum Managing Director Samiran Dutta, JITA General Secretary Rajiv Sharma said that purchasing through e- tendering and the GeM portal in BCCL has placed local industrialists and traders on the brink of bankruptcy.
BCCL’s production was never affected when the company purchased (material worth below Rs 2 lakh) through LTE. Local traders and industrialists also got employment by catering for the requirement of the coal companies. However, with the change in purchasing policy at BCCL (adopting e-tendering and GeM for the portal) has ruined the local industry.
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“Eastern Coalfield Limited (ECL) and other subsidiaries of CIL are still purchasing materials below Rs 2 lakh from local industrialists and trade unions through LTE, BCCL should also adopt it again following the ‘Local or Vocal’, call of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” said Rajiv Sharma in his letter to BCCL CMD.
The JITA General Secretary said ignoring the LTE policy not only hits the state government’s revenue but also affects employment opportunities.
