Chandigarh, Aug 11 (IANS) A meeting of the High Powered Purchase Committee was held under the chairmanship of Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Monday, in which purchase proposals and rate contracts for Rs 1,763 crore pertaining to different departments were approved.

At the meeting, rates were finalised after negotiations with various bidders, resulting in savings of more than Rs 10 crore.

Energy Minister Anil Vij, Education Minister Mahipal Dhanda, Agriculture Minister Shyam Singh Rana, Public Works Minister Ranbir Gangwa, and Women and Child Development Minister Shruti Chaudhary were also present.

The Chief Minister directed that special attention be paid to the quality of all items and equipment and that all projects be completed within the stipulated timeframe.

He reiterated that the priority of the government is to provide the public with better quality services. He said the government is committed to completing development works on time and to high standards through effective utilisation of financial resources and a transparent procurement system.

The meeting also approved the purchase of 29 new 52-seater buses and six mini-buses for the Police Department at a cost of Rs 12 crore to strengthen law and order.

To improve power supply, approval was granted for Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam and Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam to purchase LT XLPE armoured cable and 20 KVA distribution transformers at a cost of Rs 234.19 crore.

The Chief Minister instructed that all electrical cables be tested in recognised laboratories and said that strict action must be taken against any agency whose products fail to meet quality standards.

He stressed that no compromise should be made on safety norms in the procurement of electrical equipment and materials to ensure both safety and durability.

The meeting also approved a proposal to purchase sanitary napkins for providing free of cost to girl students from Class VI to XII in government schools.

In addition, the committee also emphasised modernising equipment to expand digital services and strengthen e-governance.

For this purpose, approval was granted for a cloud server and storage capacity that will be enhanced at a cost of over Rs 3.20 crore, which will further promote transparency, speed and efficiency in the delivery of government services across the state.

–IANS

vg/dan