TIRUPATI: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has rejected the allegation by the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) that TTD discontinued the 'Nandini' brand ghee supply to the Tirumala temple for preparing the Srivari laddu prasadam.
The allegation was made by KMF chairman Bheema Naik, to which the temple panel rejected the reports suggesting a long-standing relationship between TTD and KMF for the past 20 years. The dairy cooperative had only provided ghee to the temple only on two occasions in the last 20 years, TTD claimed.
“The KMF first won the tender for ghee supply in October 2014 by quoting a rate of ₹424 per kg, the lowest bid (L1). The tender agreement required the KMF to supply 10,72,599 kg of ghee, which constituted 65 per cent of the total quantity required by TTD at that time,” the temple panel said.
“Subsequently, in June 2015, November 2015 and October 2018, KMF participated in tenders but failed to secure contracts. In these years, they stood as lower bidders -- L4 (₹324 per kg), L6 (₹342.5 per kg), and L3 (₹324 per kg) respectively.”
“In February 2019 and August 2019, they qualified as the L1 by quoting ₹324 per kg and ₹398.52 per kg, respectively. However, they could not secure the tenders as they did not participate in the technical bidding or reverse tendering process. In November 2020, KMF initially bid at ₹387 per kg but did not participate in the reverse tender.”
“In January 2021, KMF was awarded the tender for 20 per cent of the total supply order (5,400 tonnes) despite being the L3.”
A senior TTD official said the tender is “usually” awarded to the lowest bidder. However, due to negotiations at the behest of the then KMF chairman, TTD agreed to award a portion of the tender to it. But it “failed” to supply the agreed- quantity within the stipulated time, he claimed.
TTD executive officer A.V. Dharma Reddy said, “Tthe temple board follows a transparent and stringent e-tendering process to procure all required materials, including the ghee. The bidding process involves two phases, namely the technical bid and the financial bid. The contract is awarded to the bidder who qualifies in both phases.”
