Lucknow, Mar 24 (KNN) On one hand ensuring 20 per cent procurement from MSMEs is one of the main agendas of the Government while on the other hand finding  innovative ways to prevent MSMEs participate in the Government tenders is also an equally important hidden agenda of some departments.

Malpractices in tendering is something which cannot be denied. KNN has  time and again done stories on how some departments have tweaked the tenders or have tried to confuse the entrepreneurs through multiple websites just to keep them away from participating.

This time a MSME entrepreneur has pointed  out  how the MSMEs are harassed through repeat tendering even when repeatedly he quoted lowest in the tenders.

This puts a question mark over how the 20% mandatory target of MSMEs in public procurement will be met?

Also, this shows how easy nepotism is in the not-so transparent tendering process.

We quote the affected entrepreneur, “Our Company is an approved Railway supplier by RDSO and NSIC and have been supplying to other railway units for quite some time now. Despite being the lowest bidder in some tenders, we have not been issued any orders against these tenders.”

He cried, “Every time the same information is provided on enquiring that the tenders have been dropped and the items would be retendered. These items are however not retendered or not tendered publically, and we fail to understand how the procurement and demand is being met.”

This is not the sole case which has been highlighted by MSMEs in Uttar Pradesh. Earlier too, KNN has done several stories on how the tenders are tweaked to keep MSMEs out of it.

Recently, a meeting of Inter Ministry Group to encourage indigenous procurement of capital Goods was conducted.

A senior industry official raised the issue of difficult pre-qualification procedure in Railways even for a common item like welding  Electrodes even when the  enterprise hold BIS license.

A senior member of Railway Board, according to the official, asked for the exact case to take up the matter.

Also, MSMEs have raised the issue of multiple agencies operating different portals for e-procurement  which they say has made e-business with the Government more difficult, at least for the MSMEs.

 Also Read; http://knnindia.co.in/news/newsdetails/msme/running-of-three-government-e-procurement-portals-confusing-msmes

Government e-market (GeM), Tenders India and Central Public Procurement Portal (CPPP) are the three e-procurement portals being run parallel by the three different Government departments. Some other websites are -  www.ireps.gov.in, ofbeproc.gov.in; http://www.bhel.com/tender/tender_home.php, and http://www.bemlindia.com/eprocurement/index.php.

Replying to a Parliament question, Minister of State for MSME Haribhai Parthibhai Chaudhary said, “PSUs are finding difficult to achieve 4% procurement target from MSEs owned by SC/ST entrepreneurs due to less participation of  MSEs  owned by SC/ST entrepreneurs   in procurement  process for supply of  goods and  services.”

During the year   2015-16, 61 CPSUs have been able to achieve 20% target of procurement from Micro and Small Enterprises. 

The Ministry of MSME is taking several measures to ensure increase procurement from the MSMEs, but which such practices of retendering, nepotism, tweaking rules, how will the target be achieved. (KNN Bureau)