BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah assured a delegation of Karnataka State Contractors’ Association on Saturday that a part of their dues would be released in three to four days, ahead of the ‘Ayudha Pooja’ that falls on October 23, said Association president D Kempanna.
Kempanna and Association office-bearers on Friday had set a 30-day deadline to the government to release 50 per cent of their dues that run to Rs 20,000 crore. They had threatened to launch a statewide agitation if the government failed to do so.
With the chief minister meeting the contractors and taking them into confidence, the conflict between the contractors and the government is likely to ebb. Recently, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who is also Bengaluru development minister, ensured that dues of Rs 652 crore are released to contractors.
“The CM promised us that the maximum possible amount that is due to us would be released in three to four days and the rest in a phased manner in a year as the state’s financial situation is bad,” Kempanna said after the meeting.
Contractors: BBMP top brass demanding money
“The chief minister promised us that the maximum possible amount that is due to us would be released in three to four days and the rest in a phased manner in a year as the state’s financial situation is bad,” Kempanna said after the meeting. The chief minister, however, did not mention the quantum of the dues the government would pay, he added. On the income tax department raids on contractor R Ambikapathy, who is also the vice-president of the contractors’ association, Kempanna said the association does not have anything to do with the raid.
“If he is proven guilty, he will be expelled from our association”, he added. Kempanna told The New Sunday Express that the contractors are expecting the government to release around 15-20 per cent of their dues. The Public Works Department has already taken a step to release around Rs 750 crore, he said. The association’s earlier condition that the government should release 50% of the dues will become irrelevant if the government continues to respond to their issues, he added.
Asked if the association will furnish documents to the justice H N Nagamohan Das commission, which is probing the 40% commission allegation by contractors against the previous BJP government, he said if the commission approaches the association, they will provide the documents. ‘CM promised to summon officials’ Contractors’ association office-bearers, who met the chief minister on Saturday, took the opportunity to complain against the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike top brass.
They alleged that the top officials are demanding money from them. “We complained to the chief minister that some BBMP officials, especially the chief commissioner and the chief engineer, are not behaving with us properly and are demanding money from us.
He promised to summon them and set things right,” he added. But he clarified that except for corruption in Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike and other departments, association members did not discuss the percentage of commission being sought from them. The chief minister promised to call a meeting of the officials concerned in a month. He told the contractors that they could bring their issues to his notice, and he is ready to resolve them if they were genuine.