CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai alleged that the state government had cancelled the order given to Aavin (Tamil Nadu Cooperative Milk Producers Federation Ltd) to supply a health mix in a bid to favour a private company.
Annamalai told reporters in Chennai on Sunday that the government decided in March this year that the Aavin health mix would be given with a nutritional kit to pregnant women.
But the decision was withdrawn within eight days and it was decided that the order shall be given to a private firm for supplying the health mix at a higher cost, said the BJP leader. The government was planning to distribute the health mix with 23 lakh such kits for a period of two years.
"The government would incur a loss of 45crore by procuring from the private company," Annamalai said and demanded an explanation from the health minister for reversing the decision to procure the health mix from Aavin. "Together the health mix and iron syrup purchased at a higher cost has caused a loss of 77 crore to the government," he said. Annamalai had also alleged that a private real estate company was given priority by Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority in granting plan approvals.
