From ₹5 disinfectant to ₹11,800 LED bulbs: Why Madhya Pradesh civic purchases face Lokayukta scrutiny

The Lokayukta probe is expected to examine purchase orders, invoices and vendor details. Civic officials now face closer scrutiny over how public funds were spent on basic items such as lights, vehicles and disinfectants.

The Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta has launched a probe into alleged irregularities in purchases worth nearly ₹1,134 crore by urban local bodies after a video of an IAS officer’s warning went viral. The footage, from an April meeting of the Urban Administration and Development Department, showed additional chief secretary Sanjay Dubey highlighting extreme price differences for the same products bought by different civic bodies.

Sanjay Dubey explains the viral video

Reacting to the clip that spread on social media, Sanjay Dubey clarified its context. “In the Urban Administration Department, we make an effort to call officials every six months to explain our expectations, how to ensure quality in their work, and train them in new techniques. The video that has surfaced is an excerpt from a training session attended by all municipal commissioners, CMOs, sub-engineers and other officials. They were briefed on how we monitor their various activities and instructed not to engage in any irregularities. They were also told to avoid actions that could have adverse consequences for them, damage the government’s image or lead to excessive expenditure,” he said.

In the same session, Dubey had told officials the department already tracked purchases closely. “I am telling you where, how much, what was purchased, and at what rates you are procuring. All of this is well within our knowledge,” he said. He added, “Now do not assume that we cannot see what you are doing.” He further warned, “Last year I didn’t pay as much attention, but from this year onward, this will not be pardoned. Let me make this very clear to you,” and stated, “Action will definitely be taken against you if you make this kind of mistake.”

Shocking price gaps in everyday items

The analysis presented at the meeting flagged stark differences. One civic body bought phenolic disinfectant for ₹5 a litre, while another recorded ₹33,500 for the same product. A garbage vehicle cost ₹2 lakh in one municipality and ₹6 lakh in another, with only four extra dustbins added. Sanjay Dubey alleged that some officials had “simply added four dustbins, pocketed the money.”

A 60-watt LED light was purchased for ₹306 by one body, while a Bhopal order listed it at ₹11,800 per light. Dubey called the higher figure “an extreme outlier beyond the upper limit” and noted the median price was around ₹4,000. “I’m not even asking you to purchase at the lowest rock-bottom price,” he said.

Potential savings of ₹250 crore on GeM alone

The presentation estimated the state could have saved ₹250 crore on Government e-Marketplace purchases if items had been bought closer to average rates. “If we had procured items at just the average price, not even the lowest rate, we would have saved ₹250 crore on GeM alone, nowhere else,” Dubey stated. The review covered spending on garbage tipper dumpers, streetlights, octagonal poles and disinfectants across about 1,200 vendors. Jabalpur was the largest spender.

The Lokayukta probe is expected to examine purchase orders, invoices and vendor details. Civic officials now face closer scrutiny over how public funds were spent on basic items such as lights, vehicles and disinfectants.

About the Author

Aachal Maniyar is a Senior Content Producer at LiveMint, where she covers US sports with a focus on major leagues, marquee events, and athlete-driven stories, while also reporting extensively on cricket and global sports. With over five years of first-hand journalism experience, she combines sharp editorial judgment with real-time sports storytelling across platforms. <br><br> Her reporting journey spans leading newsrooms including Thomson Reuters, India TV, BTVI, ET NOW, and CNBC TV18, where she has worked across breaking news, live match coverage, feature writing, interviews, video scripting, and anchoring. This multi-platform exposure has shaped her ability to deliver context-rich sports and business journalism tailored for both television and digital audiences. <br><br> Aachal has conducted and produced exclusive interviews with athletes and public figures such as India cricketer Dhruv Jurel, Indian women’s hockey captain Savita Punia, and industrialist Ratan Tata, along with several emerging and established sports personalities. Her body of work includes in-depth explainers, athlete profiles, emotionally resonant fan narratives, and data-backed match analysis across cricket, Olympic sports, and international competitions. <br><br> She holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune, and believes in reporting that is grounded in accuracy, clarity, and credibility. Her philosophy is simple: sports journalism should go beyond scores and statistics, capturing the human stories, pressure moments, and decisions that shape the game and the people who play it.