Harish Rao Demands Cancellation of PMU Tenders for Telangana Hostels

Former Telangana minister and BRS leader Harish Rao has demanded the immediate cancellation of the centralised Project Management Unit (PMU) tender system introduced for supplying essential commodities to residential schools and welfare hostels across Telangana. He called for a return to the previous system, under which each school was treated as a separate unit and supplies were procured through District Purchase Committees (DPCs) from local vendors. According to Rao, restoring the earlier arrangement would protect the livelihoods of thousands of small-business families and help ensure that students receive fresh, quality supplies.

Rao alleged irregularities in the centralised tender process, claiming that a contract had been awarded to a blacklisted company. He also alleged that subcontracting rules were violated, goodwill payments of ₹2 crore per district amounting to ₹66 crore were collected, and monthly commissions of 20 per cent were deducted from bills. He further claimed that contract prices were 35 to 45 per cent higher than local vendors’ rates, while supply problems at hostels continued. Questioning the introduction of a system that he said had been discontinued in Andhra Pradesh after three months, Rao warned that the BRS would launch a major protest on behalf of affected families and students unless the government restored the previous procurement system.