House panel to study flaws in Public Procurement Act

KATHMANDU, June 16: The Finance Committee of legislature parliament has formed a sub-committee on Monday to conduct study underlying flaws of the existing Public Procurement Act, 2007. The sub-committee is also mandated to submit detailed report within 15 days.

The panel comprises nine-members--Janardan Dhakal, Kamala Pant, Sher Bahadur Tamang, Shakti Bahadur Basnet, Bhisma Raj Aangdambe, Ratna Serchan, Bikram Pandey, Chandra Prakash Mainali and Gopal Dahit. The sub-committee will prepare its report after holding discussions with the government officials, contractors and other concerned stakeholders. The development-related ministries have long been demanding for the amendment to public procurement act, to ease the procurement related decisions.

“We have received grievances form implementing agencies about the proactive role of oversight agencies in the public procurement issues,” chairman of the Finance Committee Bharat Mohan Adhikari said, adding, “Lowest bidding, cost variation and proactive role of oversight agencies have been discouraging the implementing agencies to take procurement related decisions.” Adhikari also stressed on the need to strengthen the role of public procurement monitoring office in regard to effective monitoring of procurement of public entities.

Source: Republica