Contractors set deadline of 30-days for CM to release 50% pending bills

Bengaluru: Karnataka State Contractors Association, Bengaluru on Friday set a deadline of 30-days for the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to release 50 percent of the outstanding bills of contractors and failing to do so, the Association would chalk out future course of action against the State Government by holding a Managing Committee meeting, said president of the Karnataka State Contractors Association Kempanna.
At a press conference in Bengaluru on Friday, Kempanna said the Association had earlier set a couple of deadlines for the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to release pending bills but had to wait since the State Government had come to power recently.
Kempanna stated that he would not hesitate to launch a fight against the Congress led State Government over clearance of outstanding bills and asked whether he was hand in glove with the Congress government in Karnataka, the president said “I made 40 percent commission charge against the previous Bharatiya Janata Party government after contractors gave in writing over commission. Even now, I am ready to fight if anyone comes to the Association in writing alleging commission.”
Continuing, he said, if a contractor gives a writing complaint then he would act on his complaint and also write to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bring to his notice about the happenings in Karnataka.
He said that he had met the Chief Minister on four occasions and submitted a memorandum to get pending bills cleared and Siddaramaiah had also assured to maintain seniority in payment of bills but that has not been maintained.
Kempanna told the Chief Minister that “We have work orders and have done our work. Release our bills.” Pointing out, he said, in works completed in Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and pending bills are pending for three years now and asked the Chief Minister “Why only 10 percent bill release?”
Stating that the situation of contractors, Kempanna said that “Farmers of the State are in a better position than the contractors,” and stated that contractors are in deep trouble over non-release of pending bills and pointed out at two contractors attempting suicides one in Belagavi and other in Tumakuru districts. “I get calls from contractors who threaten to take drastic steps to end their lives,” said Kempanna.
A fight against the State Government is inevitable to get the pending bills cleared if the Chief Minister does not meet the deadline set by the Association, he said and asked the Chief Minister to call for a meeting of the Association members and evolve a system to clear the outstanding bills of the contractors.