Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 6: Due to non-availability of funds for construction of Cluster University at Jammu, the concerned contractors have threatened to stop all works on the project as they are not getting their payments on account of the already executed works worth crores of rupees.
This was stated by Hari Singh, president of the Registered Contractors Association, Province Jammu, while addressing a press conference, here today.
“The Government is announcing to start the session while on the other hand, funds are not being released for completion of the works, on which the contractors have spent huge amount running into crores of rupees,” he said.
The Association president warned that all the developmental activities would be put to grinding halt if the funds for the scheme are not arranged for clearing the liabilities. He also appealed the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to intervene personally so that the issue is resolved as funds under several other heads, such as AIBP & SDRF in Irrigation and Flood Control, CRF, Estate Department etc were also not released for the works already executed by the contractors.
General secretary of the Association, Vinod Kohli alleged that the Government authorities have failed to arrange the funds, especially from the Central share. “Contractors were assured that the funds is no problem and upto March 31, all liabilities would be cleared but no funds have been arranged so far even after the lapse of three months since commencement of the current financial year,” he said.
Mr Kohli also raised the issue of taxes levied on contractors and demanded that taxes should be fixed in the account of all expenses during tendering the bids. “Any increase in taxes afterwards are detrimental for the contractors who are allotted works after a tough contest,” he said and urged the Engineering Departments to fix the taxes at the time of allotment, especially where the completion period is more than six months.
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