MP Govt will pay pan masala, household costs of VVIPs like CM, Speaker

The Madhya Pradesh Vidhan Sabha will bear the cost of groceries of VVIPs, including Speaker Sitasharan Sharma, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, deputy Speaker Rajendra Singh, Leader of Opposition Ajay Singh besides other ministers and officials.

The Vidhan Sabha issued a list of 65 household items that VVIPs need, and includes everything from pan masala to sugar-free green tea and toilet brushes. The Vidhan Sabha had issued an advertisement to invite tenders for the products. However, the last date of the tender has been passed and no bidder showed any interest in forwarding rates of the listed items. Now, the officials are preparing to issue another advertisement.

The Vidhan Sabha’s list specifies the brand name indicating manufacturing company of most of the 65 products, making a complete mockery of the tendering process.

Some examples are Pan Parag, Doctor brand phenyl, Diamond phenyl balls, All Out 90-day liquidator and refill, Max Coil, Lux and Pears bath soap, Rin Soap, Vim Soap, Cycle incense sticks, Hit Spray, Tide washing powder, Colin Glass spray, Eveready’s batteries, Saibaba soap, Harpic toilet cleaner, Bombay Dyeing towels, Godrej locks, Johnson’s ear buds and Dettol handwash. Other items include room freshener, plastic spoons, steal tea sieve, sugar-free, green tea, gas lighter, steel knife, toilet brush, wiper, silver paper roll and paper napkin.

Commenting over the issue, additional secretary of Vidhan Sabha, Sudhir Kumar Sharma said, “Vidhan Sabha had issued a tender of perishable item for VVIP rooms and other places but no bidder or company have shown any interest in it. Now, a fresh advertisement will be issued to invite tender. However, I have no information that Pan Parag and pan masala are in this list. My job is to issue the advertisement. Other officials decided list of items.”

While the Principal Secretary of the Vidhan Sabha asserted that this is a common item list of items which is being used in every house hold, he said, “As of now, advertisement has been issued and rates invited. It is not necessary that one has to buy item at quoted rate. If pan masala has been included in the list then soon it will be removed in the next advertisement.”