India, April 4 -- Taking a step forward in accountability and transparency, the Irrigation and Flood Control Department has made the submission of Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) completely online in the tendering process, an official said on Friday.

Earlier, bidders were required to physically deposit EMD at the office of the division of the concerned project. This system often led to unnecessary interfaces, potential information leaks, and concerns regarding fairness in the bidding process, the official said.

"Now, EMD will only be accepted through online mode. The original EMD will be required to be submitted only by the L1 bidder (the one who quotes the lowest price) within a stipulated timeframe after the opening of bids," said the off...