ITANAGAR, 9 Nov: The All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) has opposed the health & family welfare department’s reported move to procure components under the Emergency Covid-19 Response Plan (ECRP)-II through the GeM portal.
The union said that the department’s decision to procure the components through the GeM portal would defeat the state government’s ‘Vocal for local’ slogan and go against the interests of the state’s indigenous entrepreneurs.
“The decision is anti-indigenous and violating the standing order of the state government relaxing procurement from GeM to encourage the local entrepreneurs,” the union said in a press statement.
Stating that the decision has been taken at a time when the economy of the state is hit hard by the pandemic and the rate of unemployment among the youths is at the highest point, the AAPSU appealed to the health minister to reconsider the decision on “genuine” grounds.
The union also said that it opposes the idea of encouraging entrepreneurs from outside the state at the cost of depriving the local entrepreneurs.
Speaking in favour of the local entrepreneurs, the AAPSU said that “all works for procurement under the ECRP-II” should be given only to the local entrepreneurs.
“There are local entrepreneurs who are competent to execute the works,” the statement said.
