Cuttack, July 30: Odisha government’s fisheries and animal resources development (Fard) department has decided to allow the Odisha State Co-Operative Milk Producers’ Federation (Omfed) to supply cattle feed to meet requirements in case of flood-like situations this year, while giving a go by to its earlier decision to follow a transparent tender procedure for the purpose.

The decision in favour of the tender procedure was apparently taken earlier in view of allegations of supply of cattle feed by Omfed at a rate higher than the market price last year. Following the Fard direction, the director of animal husbandry and veterinary services had sought from Omfed a refund of Rs 30 lakh excess amount paid by it for supply of cattle feed last year.

Official sources said that almost every year, the special relief commissioner had requested the Fard department to supply cattle feed in the marooned pockets of the Odisha at a short notice.

The directorate of animal husbandry and veterinary services here had calculated the approximate cattle feed requirement at 4,000 metric tonnes and estimated the cost for the same at Rs 6.5 crore. An expert committee undertook the exercise after receiving directions from the Fard department to follow “a transparent tender procedure for empanelment of suppliers to meet the emergency requirement of cattle feed”.

“The Omfed is the nodal agency for supply of cattle feed during natural calamities. But, they have experienced a number of problems for supply of cattle feed during floods as they are also supplying cattle feed to the members of the dairy co-operatives and calf rearing programmes under government schemes regularly,” said Fard joint secretary R.N. Mishra in a letter to the director of animal husbandry and veterinary services.

Accordingly, the director of animal husbandry and veterinary services had constituted the expert committee and sought permission from the commissioner-cum-secretary of the Fard department to go ahead with an open tender process to purchase and procure 4,000 metric tonnes of cattle feed at Rs 6.5 crore.

But, the latest communication from a special secretary of the Fard department has asked the director of animal husbandry and veterinary services to procure cattle feed from Omfed.

“Like previous years, the Omfed will continue to supply cattle feed to the flood affected districts of Odisha this year, too, because it is a state-owned cooperative federation having its own cattle feed plant, quality product with approved rate and other logistic support system ensuring timely supply and delivery to the needy animals,” Fard special secretary K.N. Jena said in his letter.