New Delhi: All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary and former J&K PCC President Ghulam Ahmad Mir on Wednesday said that Contractors dealing with different departments are begging for the release of their payment against the work done despite the completion of the financial year.
“The payments as per the financial plans should have been cleared before 31st March, but this year the story is different thereby pushing the contractors towards economic distress, besides leaving them unable to clear the payments against supplies they used to receive from different suppliers and agencies for executing the allotted works,” said Mir.
He made these comments today while reacting to the economic crisis confronting contractors due to the non-release of payments against the work done.
Mir expressed grave concern over the economic distress confronting contractors due to the non-release of payments despite the completion of the financial year 2024. He said it is a serious matter bound to impact the livelihood of labourers also and various other sections involved with contractors. Mir urged the Govt to explain why the payments were not released before 31st March and lamented the fact that works are allotted as per the fund allocation subsequently the payment is released on completion of the projects, but the situation is different now, contractors have done their job, but the Govt is yet to release the payments.
“In case such type of confusion goes unchecked the contractors would prefer to stop working with Govt departments that will be detrimental to the developmental projects,” Mir added and urged the Govt to take immediate and effective measures to release the payments besides making the concerned helmsman accountable and answerable for the delay.
Mir further said the delay in releasing payment reflects the non-availability of funds, but that should not be the situation because the allocation of funds against the approved projects can’t be altered or diverted.
