Maharashtra Minister Pankaja Munde Pulled Rs 200-Crore Scam, Says Opposition

Mumbai:  Pankaja Munde, a minister in the Maharashtra government, has been accused by the opposition of a nearly Rs. 200-crore scam. The Congress says it has documents that prove that Ms Munde violated basic procedure to clear the purchase of material including books and water filters for government-run schools that educate tribal children.

Ms Munde is the Minister for Women and Child Welfare Development. The opposition says that on February 13, she approved as many as 24 contracts that ensured the government was greatly over-charged for items.

Ms Munde ignored rules that call for an online bidding process from vendors, said opposition leaders.

Ms Munde, whose father, Gopinath, was one of the BJP’s most popular leaders in Maharashtra, is currently travelling in the US.

Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar told the New Indian Express, “I have clearly instructed that any purchase above Rs 1 lakh must be completed by inviting tenders.”