Tenders for government projects are advertised in newspapers almost daily. A single page advertisement can cost nearly Rs. 50 lakhs ($ 100,000) . Often one tender itself extends over several pages and entire sections of the newspaper may consist only of such ads.
Newspapers today get a lot of revenue from such advertisers and not from their readers, and hence care little about the content that the newspaper carries. Many of these tender ads are for projects that are of a specialised nature and hence are neither read nor understood by other readers.
Government departments, e.g. Railways, must have a system whereby interested suppliers can empanel themselves so as to be informed whenever there is a new tender.With it being mandatory for every government department to have a website, why should government continue to advertise tenders in newspapers? At the most, a small advertisement announcing a new tender with website details would suffice.
Government departments must also look at creative and innovative ways to save public money. Discontinuing advertising of tenders in newspapers for government projects can be an important step. What is your view on the current practice? How do you think this impacts the independence of the media? What are your suggestions? साभार : www.karmayog.org
mazmoon
April 23, 2010 at 1:28 pm
it is a process my dere. do u know all tenders are released with a single head’ from the president of india’
the purpose of publishing tender is that no one can claim that tender was not publically announced. do u know, in india 60% people are living in non metros and villages, where electricity and broadband connection is a nightmare. tell me one place in the world where news paper is not available. it is a matter of public announcement, we doesnt have a wi fi society till now. please go out of metros and find electricity and internet cafes.
Raj Agarwal
April 24, 2010 at 7:59 am
Dear Vinay
It is the cost of being Democratic Underdeveloped Country, which we all have to bear as a society as one.
Now a days, many state departments are already following the same (especially in Chattisgarh), where a small information of the tender is being published in the newspaper and the details can be collected from the office / website.
If you study the recent trend, many departments are following the same but when it comes to some very important tendres (on sensitive issues) like allotment of petrol pumps, very large supply orders etc. the concerned department deems fit to circulate it in newspapers in details to avoid any future charges of corruption / non publicity etc.