HC allows state to float tenders for KCR Nutrition Kits

HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court on Wednesday allowed the state government to allocate the tenders for the KCR Nutrition Kits to the successful bidder. The kits are to be supplied to pregnant women and contains a nutritional mix powder, 1 kg dates, a bottle of iron syrup and buffalo ghee among others.

Four days ago, Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy had stopped the finalisation of tenders and sought the government’s response on a petition filed by LAAN e- governance Education Private Limited, which alleged that the government had favoured one company.

The petitioner had complained that the kits contained Mother Horlicks Plus that is manufactured by Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL). Any agency in collaboration with the HUL would be the successful bidder, contended the petitioners. Another specification which was under challenge was that the bidder should be a stockist, manufacturer or a distributor of the products in the kits.

Advocate General B.S. Prasad said that any protein mix powder which met the standards prescribed by the National Institute Nutrition was approved, and the government had not specified a single brand.