Procurement of 5 L phones to women SHGs put on hold

: Procurement of five lakh smart phones for free distribution to women Self Help Groups to create public awareness about various welfare schemes of the Andhra Pradesh government has been put on hold as it lacked requisite financial and administrative approvals.

Four companies had submitted bids in August to supply the mobile phones and SIM cards in response to a tender floated by Andhra Pradesh Technology Services, which functions under the Information Technology Department, for an undisclosed amount.

"The Chief Secretary has raised objection to the floating of the tender without financial and administrative sanction. So we have stalled the process for now," a top official of the Information Technology Department said.

A senior bureaucrat expressed surprise that the basic norms were not followed as a financial commitment of more than Rs 500 crore was involved.

On July 27, the APTS had invited bids for supply of five lakh 4G smart phones along with data SIM cards in a ...