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Vijay Twade another Maharashtra Minister to invite controversy over financial irregularities

by IBNS 30 Jun 2015, 07:07 am

Mumbai, June 30 (IBNS) Another Maharashtra Minister, Vijay Tawde, has been in the middle of a controversy following media reports that a contract awarded by him for the purchase of fire extinguishers for schools faces streng objections from the state's finance department.

Tawde, who is the education minister in the Devendra Fadnavis-led BJP government happens to be the second minister in the present regime to face  allegations of financial irregularity.

The state's Minister for Women and Child Welfare Development Pankaja Munde has been accused by the opposition of a  Rs. 200-crore scam.

The Rs. 191-crore contract awarded by  Tawde's school education department for fire extinguishers and cleared by the minister in January this year, was stopped by the finance department.

 Tawde told NDTV, "The Finance Dept has raised objections, we are clarifying to them on the issue," adding, "I have not given a single rupee to any contractor."

The BJP's partner in the Maharashtra government, the Shiv Sena, has said the charges against Ms Munde "are serious."

As for the allegation against Ms. Munde, the Chief Minister said last week that there is no basis for the controversy over her.

Fadnavis, who is in US on an official visit, is yet to react to the allegations against  Tawde.