Agartala, Dec 12 (TIWN): In the ‘golden era’ of CPI-M ruled state government, Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) today brought an unfair delay and resultant loss of public funds under Rastriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) of Labour Department into limelight. A 5-member TPCC delegation today submitted a memorandum to the Chief Secretary to initiate an inquiry into this gross irregularity through undue favour to a private company and also to take legal steps against the officials and elected public representatives for looting the fund meant for the working class.

According to the memorandum, the TPCC came to know through a RTI that no tender was floated for insurance cover for the years 2012-13 and 2014-15. For the first round in 2014 National Insurance Company (NIC) was empanelled. The NIC Limited served undivided North and Dhalai districts till June 30, 2012, for Gomati and South Tripura districts till October 01, 2012 and for West, Khowai and Sepahijala districts till December 31, 2012.

According to the replay of RTI, the charge of RSBY for entire state was handed over to Royal Sundaram Alliance Insurance Company Limited after these dates. An information of RSBY website revealed that Royan Sundaram offered Rs. 479/family for 505327 families for a total of Rs. 24, 20, 08, 523.

A Notice Inviting Tender was invited on 20-11-2013 for fresh appointment of insurer. In the process, the lowest tender was offered by United India Insurance Limited and the same was accepted by the state authorities. The rate offered by United India Assurance was Rs. 239/family for 505327 families, a total of Rs. 12, 07, 51, 643.

Even after the completion of tendering process on January 16, this year, no action was taken to hand over the charge of insurance to the lowest bidder. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed with the Royal Sundaram on December 04, this year. But Royal Sundaram was allowed to continue with insurance services for RSBY in Tripura still December 2014. It indicates that, Royal Sundaram was illegally allowed a year more with a premium of Rs. 240/family more, as the lowest bid was Rs. 239/family by United India Insurance Limited.

In a press conference at Congress Bhavan, TPCC today alleged that in this process of continuation by Royal Sundaram is that this insurance continued to charge Rs. 479/family whereas the lowest bidder had offered Rs. 239/family. To cap it all, the Royal Sundaram had participated in the bidding for 2014-15 offering Rs. 396/family. As a result, the loss of Rs. 12, 12, 56, 880 leading to a loss of public money meant for poor workmen of the State, said TPCC general secretary- Ashok Sinha in the press meet today.

Therefore, in the memorandum to Chief Secretary, TPCC demanded for legal action against the officials and elected public representatives for looting the fund meant for the working class and also to recover extra amount paid to the Royal Sundaram.