Public Health Engineering Minister Niraj Kumar Singh said on Friday that Bihar government has opted out from tenders for rural water supply works, which was worth Rs 3,600 crore. The tenders were issued by the previous Mahagathbandhan regime.

While addressing a press conference, Singh stated that the decision was taken after an inquiry was conducted by the department. It was found that the due process was not followed in floating these tenders and adequate parameters were not covered or dealt with.

"The department has cancelled tenders worth Rs 3,600 crore related to the rural water supply system given during the previous Mahagathbandhan government. Earlier, we had cancelled 350 tenders, worth Rs 826 crore, of the PHE Department. So far, the department has cancelled tenders worth more than Rs 4,400 that were finalized during the previous government," highlighted Niraj.

"Investigations revealed that due process was not followed in the tender process, and also adequate areas were not covered. Now, the department will float revised tenders for the work at the earliest," he added.

These tenders were dedicated towards the rural water supply works which included the installation of hand pumps and mini water supply systems. "I recently called a meeting of senior officials of the department after getting the investigation reports. Following that meeting, the order was issued to cancel these tenders," he said.

During the previous government, RJD leader Lalit Yadav was the PHED Minister, wherein, Niraj said that a total of 1,160 tenders, worth Rs 4600 crore, of the PHE Department were floated during the previous government. However, he refused to reveal details about the irregularities detected. "We have so far installed 1,500 hand pumps in different parts of the state. The process to install 3,000 more hand pumps in the new areas is on," he said.

The minister said that the government has decided upon installing solar mini piped water supply systems coupled with treatment units in rural areas of the state. Bihar's Chief Minister Nitish Kumar snapped his ties with the RJD and returned to the  BJP-led NDA in January. Also, the government ordered a review of all the decisions taken by the departments held by RJD ministers Soon after the NDA returned to power.