Hans News Service Bengaluru

TheKarnataka State Contractors’ Association has warned the state government that it would release documents relating to alleged commission practices if its pending bills are not cleared by November. Association president R. Manjunath said contractors had been waiting for payments for several years and accused the government of failing to honour assurances on clearing their dues.

The association has claimed that nearly Rs 38,000 crore remains pending across various government departments and has sought immediate release of the amount. Reports have put the number of affected contractors at around 1.5 lakh, with dues dating back to 2021-22.

Manjunath alleged that commission demands had increased under the present government and said the association would disclose documents if the pending amount was not released within the deadline. These are allegations made by the contractors’ association and have not been independently established.

He also alleged that legislators were increasingly intervening in contract works. According to him, contractors who secure tenders are sometimes required to approach local MLAs before commencing work, which he claimed was discouraging genuine contractors from taking up projects. “Once a tender is awarded, contractors have to first approach the MLA. Only after getting approval can the work begin,” Manjunath was quoted as saying.

The association has also alleged that funds meant for clearing contractors’ bills were being diverted towards other government commitments, including guarantee schemes.

This allegation has been raised by the contractors’ body and was not independently verified in the available reports.

The contractors recalled that Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar had met their representatives on June 30 and, according to the association, assured them that arrangements would be made to clear the dues within two months. The association said that deadline had passed without the promised payments being released.