Rs 1,205.99 crore in Contractors’ Bills Pending in Udupi District: Contractors’ Association
Coastal Talk News | Udupi
Bills amounting to Rs 1,205.99 crore for completed works under various government departments and corporations in Udupi district are pending for payment, causing development works and economic activities to slow down, said president of Udupi District Contractors’ Association.
The association has submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister D K Shivakumar in Hebri, urging the government to release the pending dues. It said the release of the pending amount would facilitate the execution of new works and help address the financial difficulties faced by contractors, workers, material suppliers and machinery owners.
Earlier, office-bearers of the Contractors’ Association addressed a press conference in Brahmavar here. Association president Uppunda Gokuldas Shetty said bills were pending across several government departments in the district.
According to him, Rs 189.86 crore is pending with the Public Works Department, Rs 322.42 crore under the Varahi Project Division, Rs 4.92 crore under Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Rs 618.85 crore under Minor Irrigation, Rs 21.88 crore under Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation, and Rs 43.01 crore under the Ports and Fisheries Department. Bills are also pending under various other divisions, including the Panchayat Raj Engineering Department.
The prolonged delay in payments has made it difficult for small and medium level contractors to pay the bank loan interest, EMIs, workers’ wages and payments to material suppliers, Shetty said.
He further alleged that while some bills of contractors from other districts were being cleared, contractors in Udupi were not receiving payments, and termed the alleged disparity in payment as unfair. The association urged the state government to release the pending bills at the earliest to restart development activities and revive economic activity in the district.
