PAC again directs foreign ministry to give MRP printing contract on competition

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) under the legislative parliament has again directed the foreign ministry to give the Machine Readable Passport (MRP) printing contract on competition.

The committee's meeting held on Friday rejected the request made by foreign ministry to review its earlier decision. In February, the committee had directed the ministry to give the contract to one among four pre-qualified companies chosen through bidding in December.

However, the ministry has been insisting to give the contract to a government-owned company in India without bidding. The ministry requested the committee for review of previous decision stating it was not possible to implement the contract with the four pre-qualified companies due to 'technical reasons'.

Committee chairman Ram Krishna Yadav, who was with foreign minister Sujata Koirala during just conclude Europe tour, failed to attend the meeting today. In his absence, the meeting was chaired by senior member Ram Narayan Singh.

The committee has also invited foreign minister Koirala to give clarification on her statement against the committee. Koirala had termed the committee as a group of undemocratic people. nepalnews.com