Keonjhar/Hatadihi: A petition has been filed in the Orissa High Court alleging irregularities in the request for proposal (RFP) tender process for the selection of a project management unit (PMU) under Keonjhar District Mineral Foundation (DMF) and in the approval and disbursal of salaries with goods and services tax (GST) support for PMU employees.
Petitioner’s counsel Prashant Kumar Satapathy said the DMF published an RFP May 29, 2025, for selecting an agency as PMU. The decision followed an executive committee meeting held March 29, 2025. The RFP set a turnover value of ₹50 crore. However, under ODMF Rules 2015, Rule 6(2), the executive committee has no authority to issue such an RFP. Its administrative approval powers are limited to ₹10 crore.
Satapathy alleged that the committee also extended the PMU’s agreement beyond its tenure. Despite approving large sums from DMF funds for salaries, employees were reportedly paid much less, and copies of invoices were not available in DMF records. Additionally, 18 per cent GST was sanctioned over and above the salary component, but instead of being deposited, the GST grant was allegedly misappropriated.
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Complaints were also filed June 1, 2025, with the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary, and the departments of Planning and Convergence, Finance, Steel and Mines, General Administration, and Public Grievances.
The petition further noted that while the RFPs issued in both 2022 and 2025 were identical, the 2022 RFP was neither approved by the Trust Board nor included in the budget. As per Rule 4(4) of the ODMF, the Trust Board is required to meet at least twice a year. However, no such meeting has been held since December 2022, the petition claimed.
PNN