ITANAGAR, 19 Jun: The Arunachal Jankalyan Sangathan (AJS) has demanded that the APSTS-Sachkhand Volvo agreement be immediately cancelled, alleging that the deal was signed without a tender in violation of guidelines.
In a representation to Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Transport Minister Ojing Tasing, the AJS alleged that the agreement signed on 21 February, 2022 violated GFR 2017 and CVC guidelines as no tender process was followed while executing the public-private partnership deal.
The organisation claimed that the matter was examined and confirmed during a meeting with the chief minister and the transport minister held on 13 June. It stated also that an application seeking details was also filed with the APST general manager on 14 June.
The organisation further alleged that pending bills of over 250 local APST vendors have not been cleared since 2024.
Alleging that payments were released to only new outside parties on a “pick and choose basis,” the organisation demanded that the pending bills be cleared within 15 days.
As per the CAG report, it alleged, the agreement caused loss of Rs 21 crore annually to the state with zero GST and MV tax.
The organisation said that 50 bonafide APST entrepreneurs are ready to take over all 40 Volvo buses under the same terms.
“This will generate revenue of Rs 8-10 cr annually via GST, MV tax, profit share, save Rs 14.76 cr per year, create 1,320+ ST jobs, and clear the pending bills of 250+ vendors,” the organisation said.
It demanded “immediate termination of the APST-Sachkand agreements under Clause 31, allotment of all routes to 50 APST entrepreneurs, stay order on 30 new buses, and notification of an inquiry committee with five tribal members by 25 June, 2026.”
“When APST youths are ready to run Volvo with more revenue to state, continuing with Sachkhand goes against ‘ST ka Vikas’ and ‘Viksit Arunachal’,”the organisation said.
