In a move contradicting the “Make-in-India” initiative, the Directorate of Vocational Education and Training (DVET) in Maharashtra imported LCD interactive panels from Chinese company BenQ, bypassing government guidelines. The tender, floated on the government e-marketplace (GEM), excluded Indian manufacturers due to specific certification requirements, yet the panels imported lacked these certificates. Allegations also arise regarding the inflated cost of each panel, raising questions about transparency in procurement.
DVET Director Digambar Dalvi refuted claims of rule circumvention, stating orders were placed after rigorous scrutiny by the technical committee. However, discrepancies emerge as the DVET paid Rs 2.2 lakh per panel, significantly above the GEM-listed price of Rs 1.3 lakh for a similar BenQ panel made in Taiwan. The DVET’s move to disable “Make in India” preferences in the tender process adds to concerns about favoritism.
These LCD panels, intended for smart classrooms in Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), were procured as part of a larger plan. The procurement process faces criticism for favoring BenQ products, and teachers argue that the tender specifications should have been altered or re-tendered when only one product qualified.
Certification requirements, including TuV standards, were initially mandated, which most Indian products lacked. However, the Chinese BenQ panels imported did not possess these certifications either, raising questions about the decision to waive them. DVET Inspector of Procurement Anand Lohar’s admission of not inspecting the dispatched products adds further complexity to the situation.
As Maharashtra sidesteps central rules in importing Chinese products at a higher cost, questions about transparency, fair procurement practices, and adherence to “Make-in-India” principles cast a shadow on the DVET’s decisions.
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