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TCS loses Rs 225 cr e-governance deal: report

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CIOL Bureau
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NEW DELHI, INDIA: Sukhdeo Thorat, chairman of University Grants Commission (UGC) and a favourite of former human resource development minister Arjun Singh, is in dock for allegedly favouring Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in the bidding process for its e-governance project, a media report said on Thursday.

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The matter has now reached the Prime Minister's Office, which has sought a report from the ministry, the DNA newspaper reported. It said a vigilance inquiry has found "several irregularities" in the tendering process of UGC's Rs 225 crore e-governance project.

The project, cleared on March 13, 2009, was meant to make the functioning of UGC more transparent and paperless.

Out of the 20 bids that UGC received for the project, Wipro and TCS were among the three bidders shortlisted for the e-governance project and Wipro is said to have quoted Rs 90 crore less than TCS, the report said quoting a UGC source.

However, TCS was awarded the project despite serious objections from UGC secretary Raju Sharma, MHRD secretary R P Aggarwal and financial advisor S K Ray, said the report.

The CVC has also pointed to procedural errors committed in the process of selection of the consultant.

Meanwhile there are reports that the UGC has decided to invite TCS for a second round of bidding for the e-governance project.

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