Trinamool leaders asked not to recommend outsourcing agencies, contractors to Bengal govt

Kolkata, May 26 (IANS) The top brass of West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress had instructed party leaders across all layers to refrain from recommending appointments of private outsourcing agencies, either by the West Bengal government or its affiliate bodies.  

Party insiders said that this standard rule of refraining from recommending would be applicable in case of selections of private outsourcing agencies by the state governments, municipal corporations, municipalities, panchayat bodies, state government undertakings, and other autonomous bodies.

“The bar on recommendations is not just in the case of private outsourcing agencies. It would also be applicable for the selection of contractors and suppliers by the state government and its affiliated bodies. In the past, there had been several complaints of eligible outsourcing agencies or contractors or suppliers being denied and being replaced by those recommended by local leaders. Thereafter, when the recommended agencies or contractors or suppliers could not perform as per standards, the blame fell on the appointing departments or state government-affiliated bodies and more importantly, on the image of the party in general. That is why the leaders, at all levels, have been instructed to refrain from any such recommendation," said a senior member of the state cabinet who refused to be named.

He also said that there were complaints against some leaders for receiving commissions from the selected agencies or contractors, or suppliers recommended by them. "The party leadership, especially Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has taken an extremely strong stand against this menace now and hence, relevant cautions have been issued for all layers of leadership. The leadership will take strong disciplinary action against any leader who is proven to have violated the caution on this count," the cabinet minister said.

Political observers feel that the biggest challenge for the ruling party in the state amid the crucial Assembly elections scheduled next year is the image makeover, which had taken a hit following subsequent reports of corruption, the most important among which is the gross irregularities in appointments of teaching and non-teaching jobs in state-run schools.

"With corruption being all set to be the principal campaign agenda against Trinamool Congress in the assembly election next year, the ruling party leadership now seems to be stressing the image makeover exercise," a political observer said.