Cabinet decision breaks monopoly of IT department

Mumbai: The monopoly of the Information Technology (IT) department in the purchase of IT material is set to be over.  All state government departments will now be allowed to purchase IT related material from the ‘Marketplace’ web portal of the central government.  Earlier, there was a restriction on purchasing everything through the IT department or Corporation. So it’s another major setback for IT department and corporation after principle secretary Vijay Kumar Gautam was sent on leave and then subsequently transferred.

All government departments are purchasing Rs 12-13,000 crore IT related material per annum. Following the allegations about rigging and malpractice, the government had directed all government department and corporations to purchase all IT related material through IT department and corporation. But there were again complaints of delay and malpractice and it was found than many things were available at a cheaper price on the central government’s portal.

Senior officials of the Government Administration Department, home and other departments brought this fact to the notice of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. There were also complaints against the principle secretary and Kaustubh Davse, OSD to CM. The NCP ‘s chief spokesperson had attacked Dhavse and called him an ‘agent of IT companies’. There were allegations that he had favoured a few companies.

The CM is heading the IT department and anticipating an opposition attack in the winter session of the legislature on his department due to the mess over the farm loan waiver issue, students education and fees issue, Mr Fadnvis has stepped into with some damage control measures, sources told The Asian Age.