Srinagar: Expressing solidarity with the striking contractors who are on 36 hour long hunger strike in Pratap Park Srinagar, AIP Supremo and MLA Langate Er. Rasheed has appealed Govt. to clear the liabilities of contractors pending with various departments and also resolve their other grievances.
In a statement issued here today, a spokesman of AIP said that Rasheed joined the protesting contractors and assured them of his support.
Speaking on the accession Rasheed said, “It is obligation of the Govt. to release the amount of about 750 Crores to clear the long pending work done claims of the contractors. While Govt. has every right to improve the functioning of departments but cannot give sermons of morality and accountability to contractors without resolving their genuine issues.”
Commenting on government’s plea of E.billing, Rasheed said that while the operation of internet and mobile services is always at the mercy of security forces the serious apprehensions of contractors cannot be overruled.
“The Govt. before claiming to stream line the process of tendering and executing works must take a moral ground and clear all the pending liabilities with various departments,” he said.
Er. Rasheed said that while state Govt. has been making tall claims since last two years of getting eighty thousand crore package for the state from the centre, contractors and the general masses have a right to know why is there so much of financial crunch on the ground and work on most of the developmental projects has been halted.
He alleged that on one hand local contractors, who contribute much towards the economy of the state, are forced to starvation but on the other hand Govt. is outsourcing all bigger projects to outside firms.
