Karnataka: Contractors Body Threaten Strike Over Pending Bills
The Contractors Association president took exception to the State Government making part payments to contractors which is unacceptable and demanded the State Government to initiate steps to first clear pending bills of small contractors: Reports
BENGALURU: The Karnataka State Contractors Association, Bengaluru set a deadline for the ruling Congress party to clear the pending bills of about a whopping Rs 33,000 crore in one go by December or face strike from the contractors thereafter.
Unhappy over repeated assurances from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to settle their ending bills, president of Contractors Association Manjunath told a press conference in Bengaluru on Friday that members of the Association plan to meet Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and apprise him of pending bills.
Besides, he said, a delegation of the Association would also Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, president of All India Congress Committee (AICC) Mallikarjun Kharge and Karnataka incharge of Congress party Randeep Singh Surjewala and bring to their notice on pending bills of contractors not cleared by Congress government in Karnataka for about two-and-half years.
The Contractors Association president took exception to the State Government making part payments to contractors which is unacceptable and demanded the State Government to initiate steps to first clear pending bills of small contractors.
During earlier meetings with the Chief Minister, he said, Siddaramaiah stated to the Contractors Association “Where is the money to clear pending bills?” and sought time to clear their pending bills but nothing substantial happened so far. Manjunath wanted Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to make some arrangement to clear the pending bills of contractors.
Manjunath alleged prevalence of ‘corruption’ in clearing pending bills in about 8 ministries and stated to open his mouth if their demand went unanswered.