Tue Aug 05 14:10:20 UTC 2025: **Here’s a summary of the text:**
The Kerala State Government has further relaxed World Bank procurement regulations for the Kerala Solid Waste Management Project (KSWMP). The government has eliminated the need for its concurrence on single bids during the first tendering instance for projects unless the bid exceeds acceptable limits (tender excess beyond 10%). This decision was made to expedite project execution, as many urban local bodies were facing delays due to the time lag in getting government approval for low-value works with single bids. Last year, the state government had already adopted World Bank procurement regulations for KSWMP, funded by the World Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). The government also changed norms related to performance guarantees, moving to bank guarantees for the entire value of the performance security deposit instead of a combination of treasury fixed deposits and bank guarantees. Additional performance guarantees for abnormally low bids have also been eliminated, except in cases of unbalanced bids.
**Here’s a news article based on the text:**
**Kerala Government Eases Procurement Norms for Solid Waste Management Project**
**THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, August 5, 2025** – The Kerala State Government has announced further relaxations to World Bank procurement regulations for projects under the Kerala Solid Waste Management Project (KSWMP), aiming to accelerate the implementation of crucial solid waste management infrastructure across urban local bodies.
The key change involves eliminating the need for government concurrence on single bids received during the initial tendering process, except in instances where the tender price exceeds acceptable limits (beyond 10%). According to government sources, this decision was made after the KSWMP Project Director highlighted significant delays caused by the previous requirement, which forced urban local bodies to cancel and re-tender projects due to the time taken to secure government approval for relatively low-value works with only one bidder.
“This streamlining of the process will significantly reduce the bureaucratic hurdles and allow local bodies to proceed with vital projects more efficiently,” stated an official from the Kerala State Government.
Last year, the government adopted World Bank procurement regulations for KSWMP, a project funded by the World Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). This move also included changes to performance guarantee norms, replacing the earlier system of combining treasury fixed deposits and bank guarantees with a requirement for full bank guarantees for the total value of the performance security deposit. Furthermore, the government has also done away with additional performance guarantees for abnormally low bids, except in cases of unbalanced bids, in line with World Bank regulations.
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