Vigilance inquiry sought into school kits tenders

Metro India News | Hyderabad 

A public representation dated September 29, 2026, has sought a formal vigilance inquiry into alleged irregularities in procurement by the Project Monitoring Unit (PMU) of the Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society (TGSWREIS) under the Telangana government’s School Kits Scheme, popularly known as the Gurukula tenders.

The representation, submitted by one G. Rajesh Kumar, has been addressed to the Central Vigilance Commission, Telangana State Vigilance Commission, Department of Personnel and Training, Chief Secretary of Telangana, and the Director General of Vigilance and Enforcement, Telangana. It refers to multiple tenders for food provisions, cleaning materials, uniforms, school bags, footwear, trolley bags, trunk boxes, bedding, stationery and other items required by students.

One of the principal issues raised concerns an alleged procedural violation in the procurement of uniforms and bedding materials. According to the representation, the Telangana High Court had intervened in relation to a PMU tender notification dated April 2, 2026, after concerns arose over compliance with a government order requiring specified handloom products to be procured through the Telangana Handloom Weavers Co-operative Society before being opened to other suppliers. The representation argues that the circumstances surrounding the tender warrant examination by vigilance authorities.

The complaint also refers to public allegations of large-scale financial irregularities in the School Kits Scheme. Opposition leaders, including T. Harish Rao and Dr. R.S. Praveen Kumar, have publicly alleged financial irregularities estimated at approximately Rs 2,000 crore. The Telangana government has denied the allegations and maintained that procurement was conducted through the state e-procurement system and through competitive bidding. The representation therefore calls for an independent examination of the records to establish the facts.

A substantial portion of the complaint concerns the procurement of bunker beds for residential educational institutions. It refers to a 2025 tender for the supply and installation of 45,360 bunker beds with mattresses and pillows for 252 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs). The representation alleges that Mafatlal Industries Limited quoted approximately Rs 33,000 per bunker bed, while another document cited in related court proceedings indicated a price of Rs 17,200 per unit for the same or comparable item. On that basis, the complainant alleges a potential financial impact of around Rs 160 crore on the state exchequer.

The representation further alleges that the selected supplier did not complete supplies within the stipulated 120-day period and that the deadline was subsequently extended through supplementary agreements rather than the tender being re-floated. It also questions the participation of the same company in subsequent PMU School Kit tenders despite the litigation and allegations concerning the earlier bunker-bed procurement.

The complaint cites proceedings before the Telangana High Court and the Supreme Court and requests that the competent authorities independently examine tender documents, bid evaluations, purchase orders, government orders, extensions, supply records, payment details and related correspondence.

The representation does not itself establish wrongdoing. Rather, it asks vigilance authorities to investigate the allegations and determine whether procurement rules were followed, whether the state suffered financial loss, and whether responsibility should be fixed if violations are established.