State issues fresh tender to buy eggs

According to the tender, approximately 50 lakh eggs per day, as per Agmark standards, would be procured by the state government for the nutritious meal programme. The tender would be opened on August 24 and the application forms should be submitted before the commencement of the tender. 

According to the tender, the eggs should be supplied once in a week to Anganwadi centres and twice a week to noon meal centres, across the state. The approximate value of the total supplied eggs is Rs 481 crore per annum. As the contract with the present egg supplier TS Kumarasamy, whose houses and offices were raided by Income Tax (I-T) sleuths recently, ends by July 31, the state government had decided to float the tender on July 11 in which six contractors participated but as the tender process was held immediately after the raid the tender process was cancelled by the government. 

The cost per egg was fixed at Rs 4.34 that includes various charges such as transportation and accessories required for safe transportation such as plastic trays, the covers, the printing seal and so on. However, this year too, the cost of the eggs is expected to be the same, said officials attached to Social Welfare Department.  A higher official, on request of anonymity, told DT Next , that they have made alternate arrangements for supply of eggs and there need not be any fear among the public that egg supply to the anganwadis and noon meal centres would be stopped. 

The official also said that the tender process would be done transparently and only qualified contractors who have previously supplied eggs or any food material to the state or the Union government would be eligible for availing the tenders.