Bhopal, Sep 15 (IANS) The Madhya Pradesh government claimed that misleading and false information is being shared on social media regarding the purchase of vehicles for the ‘Dial 112’ emergency response service launched in the state recently.

The Directorate of Press Information (DPR) of the Madhya Pradesh government, in a statement, clarified that vehicles (Bolero and Scorpio) were not purchased by the government but hired through a tendering process for the period of five years, not for one year.

“1200 vehicles have been hired through the tendering process, and it costs Rs 972 crore for a period of five years. As per the contract, the government will pay Rs 32,000 per month for one Bolero, while Rs 36,000 per month for one Scorpio. It also includes the monthly wages of around 500 drivers,” it said.

The state government’s official fact-check stated that Rs 174 crore has been fixed for the maintenance of these 1,200 vehicles, which is under the total investment of Rs 972 crore. Notably, Dial-112′ is the First Response Vehicles (FRVs) under the emergency service, which was launched (a total of 1200 vehicles were flagged off) by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav in the presence of DGP Kailash Makwana on August 14.

It has replaced the old version of the emergency service ‘Dial 100’. In fact, other emergency services such as Ambulance, fire, women’s helpline, cybercrime, highway accident response, disaster relief, and child protection will operate through a single number – ‘Dial 112’.

The controversy erupted after senior Congress leader and former CM Digvijaya Singh wrote a letter to Madhya Pradesh Director General of Police, Kailash Makwana, alleging some irregularities in the tendering process for the purchase of these vehicles.

In his letter to DGP Makwana on September 4, the veteran Congress leader mentioned that irregularities had occurred in the tendering process in the second phase of vehicles purchased under the project Dial 112 and demanded an inquiry into the allegation.

Digvijaya Singh had also mentioned that a question on irregularities in the tendering process has been raised by some public organisations, and they have also submitted documents.

In his letter, the Congress leader had also claimed that he had submitted a bundle of documents suggesting irregularities in the tendering process, and had demanded an investigation into the alleged irregularities.

–IANS

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