E-tendering lands first prize for Bengal, Mamata lauds Finance, IT depts

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee made the announcement on Friday. She said: "Yesterday the Bengal government was awarded with the first prize for ensuring e-tendering. The state government has become the best in the country by ensuring e-tendering of 53,000 projects worth Rs 36,000 crore and the Ministry of Finance has given the award."

The Chief Minister congratulated the state Finance department and the state Information Technology department for their efforts, which made it possible for the state government to bag the award.

Soon after coming to power, the Mamata Banerjee government has started taking all necessary steps to ensure e-governance and at the same time, the e-tendering process and the e-Integrated Finance Management System (eIFMS) were introduced.

Before the e-tendering process had started, the entire process of tendering used to take place manually that had left many options for lack of transparency. Besides making the process to participate in the tendering process easier, the Mamata Banerjee government has also ensured transparency by introducing e-tendering.

In sub-division level, there has to be e-tendering for any projects worth more than Rs 5 lakh. One can also bid even if he or she is not in the country as the tender process has been made completely online.

The success of the state government has come when the Chief Minister has made use of e-office for all departments from January 2.

It was done considering that complete implementation of e-office will ensure transparency, accountability and credibility.

It was also stated that if any one flouts the instruction of implementing e-office, then it will be blacklisted. It may be recalled that earlier, the state Finance department had also received the Golden Peacock award for e-services in taxation.

In Friday's programme, the Chief Minister also said it seems that never before have so many projects for development of the society been taken up. She also directed the officials to take all necessary steps for proper implementation of the projects for the benefit of common people.