Srinagar Sept 23 (KNS): The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) today slammed the Govt over non payment of long pending work done payments of appx Rs.400 crores to contractors, urging the Govt to release the payments, at right earnest.
The party also said that contractors were the victims of economic blockade, confronted with various hardships due to the ugliest situation and emphasized it(Govt) to address the concerns of contractors, who along with other business fraternity, traders etc have suffered heavily due to the Pandemic Covid-19 and other issues confronted in J&K post August 2019.
According to statement issued to KNS reads, Expressing serious concern over the economic crisis confronted contractors in J&K due to the non-payment of their work done payments, the JKPCC President G.A. Mir said that the developmental process has received a severe blow due to the wrong policies of the Govt and the hostile situation prevailed in J&K.
Mir said the contractors were confronted with multiple issues, which the Govt has failed to address, as a result they have been pushed to wall. When there were no payments against the work done, how could they complete the works/projects they have undertaken, he questioned and said it matter of grave concern, detrimental to the development of J&K.
Apprx.400 crores were accumulated work done under CRF/Centrally Sponsored Scheme, but the payments have not been released on one pretext or the other, which would prove to be a major setback to the developmental process. PCC President said
The Atam Nirbhar Bharat shall continue to remain mere a slogan till the money owned to Contractors, others withheld was released, as majority of the contractors, etc owe money to JK Bank, which has to be paid by them at appropriate time fixed by the bank authorities, G.A. Mir said.
It has been reported that even the material is not available, the fact of the matter is that no facility is being provided to ensure availability of material for mega projects, which was bound to promote illegal activities, Mir said.
One fails to understand on one hand Govt was claiming that enormous development was taking place and on the other hand the payments against work done by the contractors is withheld, which has to be addressed to ensure that the developmental process, which has suffered setbacks due to wrong policies of the Centre was given a fillip in the larger interest of the development of J&K and its people, G.A. Mir said
Adding that mere slogans of Atam Nirbhar Bharat and tall claims about the development wont serve any purpose Mir said that Govt has to be realistic and take effective measures to address concerns of Contractors, business fraternity, who have equally suffered due to the ugliest situation. (KNS)