{"id":1305976,"date":"2026-02-09T08:33:15","date_gmt":"2026-02-09T03:03:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/?p=1305976"},"modified":"2026-02-09T08:33:29","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T03:03:29","slug":"ias-officers-suspended-over-delay-in-buying-280000-smartphones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/ias-officers-suspended-over-delay-in-buying-280000-smartphones\/","title":{"rendered":"IAS Officers Suspended Over Delay In Buying 28,0000 Smartphones"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Punjab government<\/strong> has placed two senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS)<\/strong> officers under suspension for alleged delays in procuring smartphones meant for anganwadi workers<\/strong> under the Poshan Abhiyan<\/strong> programme. The action highlights growing administrative concern over delays, cost escalation and procedural lapses in implementing key welfare initiatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Who Was Suspended and Why<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two officers \u2014 Kamal Kishor Yadav<\/strong> (Administrative Secretary, Industries and Commerce, Investment Promotion and Information Technology) and Jaspreet Singh<\/strong> (Managing Director, Punjab Infotech<\/strong>) \u2014 were suspended with immediate effect by the state government. They will be attached to the state headquarters in Chandigarh and will receive only subsistence allowance during the suspension period under Rule 3(1) of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The suspension is linked to a six-year delay in procuring 28,515 smartphones<\/strong> for anganwadi workers \u2014 devices meant to help track nearly 12 lakh beneficiaries<\/strong> under the Central government\u2019s Poshan 2.0 nutrition initiative. The procurement, intended to be funded jointly by the Centre and the state, saw cost escalation from initial estimates of around \u20b934 crore to about \u20b960 crore due to specification changes and delays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Backstory: Procurement Hurdles and Cost Escalation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The issue dates back to when funds were released for 4G-enabled devices, but the government later shifted the requirement to 5G-enabled smartphones, driving up costs significantly. The vendor selected for the 5G devices then reported that the specified devices were not in production, causing the original order to be cancelled. Efforts to revive the tender without following proper procedures led to objections and court involvement, complicating the procurement process even further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Punjab and West Bengal remain the only states yet to procure the required devices for tracking beneficiaries under the Poshan scheme, while most others have already updated or replaced smartphones under regular replacement cycles every four years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Administrative Reassignments<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the suspensions, the government transferred two other officers connected to the case:<\/p>\n\n\n\n