8 months ago
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In a large embarrassment to the ruling Congress, the Karnataka State Contractors’ Association (KSCA) has claimed that corruption successful immoderate departments successful the Siddaramaiah-led government had “doubled” compared with the erstwhile BJP regime.
The KSCA successful its three-page missive connected September 25, addressed to Mr Siddaramaiah, said, “When you were Leader of the Opposition, you assured us that aft you travel to power, nary committee volition beryllium sought by your authorities to wide pending bills. But, we regret to pass you that the committee has doubled present successful definite departments compared with the erstwhile government.”
Eight departments
The missive by KSCA president R. Manjunath and wide caput G.M. Ravindra said that contempt respective rounds of talks, till now, 8 departments person not cleared pending bills.
This is for the archetypal clip that the Congress government, which came to powerfulness successful the 2023 elections connected an anti-corruption plank, has received a written missive from the KSCA, alleging corruption successful the ruling dispensation.
They alleged that State authorities institutions specified arsenic Nirmiti Kendra and the Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (KRIDL) grant projects to “supporters oregon followers of elected representatives and enactment workers”.
These followers and workers past manus implicit their projects to elder contractors successful speech for commission. “It is hard for america elder contractors to guarantee prime erstwhile works are subcontracted to america similar this,” they said.
Letter to Modi
In July 2021, erstwhile the BJP led by Basavaraj Bommai was successful power, the KSCA wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi complaining that contractors were forced to wage “40% commission” to Ministers, elected representatives, and officials. The Congress had past launched a run against corruption and it was seen arsenic a large crushed for the decision of the Bommai-led authorities successful the 2023.
Mr. Manjunath and Mr. Ravindra said the KSCA had been urging the authorities to merchandise pending bills worthy much than ₹30,000 crore. The Chief Minister had fixed galore assurances connected clearing the pending bills, the missive said and added, “so acold we person had nary payment from your government”.
According to the KSCA, authorities departments person not been pursuing seniority for clearing pending bills. “They are deploying their ain look to springiness peculiar lines of recognition (LOC) to contractors, and lone 15-20% of the pending measure magnitude is cleared erstwhile successful 3 months,” the missive stated.
The KSCA besides accused the Municipal Administration, Urban Development, and Labour departments of corrupt tender practices.
Exceeding orders, officials were converting tenders into packages and awarding contracts to almighty contractors of their choice. It was alleged that the Ministers acrophobic had not been doing thing to halt it.
