Senior Congress MLC and Architect, Anant Gadgil on Friday demanded that state government should take action against central and state government departments and undertakings that call for tender bids from Architects. Raising the issue through special mention in the Legislative Council, the senior Congress leader stated that despite the provisions in the law treating Architects as professionals on par with other professionals like Doctors, Lawyers, Chartered Accountants, the unholy practice of government bodies calling for tender bids from architects has continued.
Making a statement, he informed the house that the Center in 1972 enacted the “Architect Act” in the Parliament whereby, just like doctors, lawyers, chartered accountants and others, Architects too were treated as Professionals. Despite this Central Government run Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), Banks and State Government undertakings too began calling for tender bids from Architects for their works.
Gadgil pointed out that as per the government rules, in practice works are awarded to contractors who quote lowest tender bids. To drive home his point, the Congress MLC remarked that just like when one falls sick one does not call for tender bids from Doctors, the same yardstick is applied in the case of Architects. Despite, several Central and State Government department’s issuing many circulars from time to time, yet Banks, Insurance Companies and Government Undertakings are calling for tender bids from Architects.
The Congress MLC demanded that the government should take immediate steps to curb this illegal practice of calling for tender bids from Architects. Gadgil reiterated the need for the government to take prompt action in stopping this menace troubling the Architects community at large.
