PANAJI: Goa IT Business Association, the apex body of IT-related commercial establishments in the state, on Monday alleged that the department of education is involved in a multi-crore scam related to the supply of computers to schools as well as the students under the computer literacy programme (CLP) and Cyberage (Edunet) scheme, respectively, and further demanded a thorough inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) into the same.

A press conference addressed by the GIBA office bearers in the city maintained that the DoE has flouted the general financial rules (GFR), applicable to all government departments while making large purchases, and further violated the regulations so as to allow a ‘cartel’ of four IT establishments to corner all tenders related to supply of computers.

The GIBA president, Mr Prashant Kuncolienkar, interacting with the media said that the commercial bids by these four IT establishments for supply of computers under the Cyberage (Edunet) scheme, which were opened on June 9, 2008, had one rupee difference in the quoted price for computers as well as software, which in turn indicates that all of them had prepared the bid estimates after consulting each other.

The GIBA president stated that the department of education had gone out of way to pass the software order worth Rs 7.75 crore for these IT establishments, with the director of education, Dr Celsa Pinto signing the order on Saturday, a government holiday, and immediately making payments on Monday.

"The Microsoft software package, including operating system, which was priced at Rs 3,040 in the year 2002-03, is reportedly supplied at around three times the original price this year, in spite of the fact that the Microsoft company has not hiked the price of the package by even one dollar, all these years, and Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Vista and now Window 7, were all priced at the same rate," Mr Kuncolienkar informed, adding that in the year 2002-03, around 2,500 Microsoft software packages were purchased by the DoE, while today the number has gone to 12,500, with the differential price amounting to a whopping Rs 5 crore.

"Furthermore, an inquiry should also be conducted to find out whether this procured software, including Media has really been delivered to the students or not," he noted.

Mr Kuncolienkar also stated that the related information sought by him from the department of education, under the Right to Information Act was not provided by the information officer of the department, even after the stipulated period of 30 days, and now the application is before the first appellate authority.

"The GIBA, under such circumstances, wherein it has no enough documentation in hand, cannot even approach the police with a criminal complaint," he observed.

It was also revealed that under the CLP, while inviting tenders for 4,320 computers for schools, the turnover criteria fixed for the suppliers was Rs 5 crore, while for supply of 11,000 computers under the Cyberage (Edunet) scheme, the turnover criteria for suppliers was changed to Rs 4 crore, just to accommodate two specific suppliers.

Welcoming the government decision of scrapping the Cyberage (Edunet) scheme as announced by the Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat in his recent budget speech, the GIBA president said that the focus of the government on setting up and upgrading the computer laboratories in various schools around the state, is a better option. "However, it should be ensured that the existing cartel of suppliers is now not allowed to continue its jugglery in the tendering process, for school computer laboratories," he mentioned.

Informing that the annual Goan market size for IT establishments is 7,000 pieces of computers, Mr Kuncolienkar predicted that the livelihood of 1,000 IT-literate local youth and their families would be threatened, if the particular cartel is allowed to operate in a clandestine manner, for winning such tenders.

Replying to a question as regards the writ petition filed by GIBA in the High Court challenging the entire process, the association president said that the final hearing on the matter was held on March 18; however, the order is awaited.

The GIBA secretary, Mr Gene Lobo and treasurer of the association, Mr Srivallabh Sardesai were also present at the briefing.