The so-called 'Chikki' scam involving Pankaja Munde has taken a new turn. The opposition congress has targeted Pankaja Munde, charging her with awarding contracts worth Rs 206 crore in violation of norms.
What has blunted the Congress charge is the revelation that the NGO which was awarded the contract for supplying ‘chikki' to aanganwadis is headed by a Congress worker.
According to the complaint lodged by Congress , Suryakanta Mahila Audyogik Sahakari Sansthan, Sindhudurg-based organisation was given contracts worth Rs 144 crore in a single day violating all norms.
This NGO is headed by Pradnya Parab, Congress's Women's Cell head for the Sindhudurg district.
Sachin Sawant, senior Congress leader , who on Wednesday registered the complaint with the Anti Corruption Bureau(ACB) ,had alleged nepotism in providing contracts to a set of companies including Suryakanta where qualities of the supplies are questioned especially chikkis. The ABC has now asked the Women and Child Department to respond to the charges.
The head of the NGO ,Parab, joined Congress in 2010. Before joining Congress she was a three-time local corporator , and was earlier leading the women's cell of the NCP in Sindhudurg district.
NGO started operating in 2005 and Senior Congress leader Narayan Rane had inaugrated Suryakanta's first factory . She added further that they started making chikkis and supplying them to the state government and at the district levels for aanganwadis in 2011-2012.Our only aim is to give employment to women in the district.
Munde is still accused of is a contract to purchase chikkis from a women's NGO in Sindhudurg where the manufacturing facilities were not verified.
