The Karnataka State Contractors’ Association (KSCA) called on the Congress government to address the issue of unsettled bills by August 31. KSCA president D Kempanna said on Friday, August 11 that the current practice of disbursing payments in incremental instalments has proven ineffective in clearing their pending bills. The backlog accumulated over the course of several years is over Rs 20,000 crore, he said.
Kempanna said, “A delegation representing the KSCA is poised to hold talks with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to urge the prompt release of funds.” He added that the association had submitted memorandums to Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Priyank Kharge and PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi. “They sought time and then forgot about it,” he said.
“The government is ignoring the plight of contractors. Works were done in PWD, water resources, rural development, and panchayat raj departments. We took crores on loan by pledging our properties to complete the government’s projects. In such a situation, what should we do?” Kempanna said.
Allegations of corruption against the Congress government by another group have further intensified the controversy. It started with a letter submitted to the Governor by the BBMP Working Contractors Association, which alleged that a commission of 10-15% was being demanded on behalf of Bengaluru City Development Minister DK Shivakumar.
Kempanna, however, said that no minister had sought commission for the release of pending bills. He specifically addressed the allegations against DK Shivakumar, asserting that the group making the bribery claims is not affiliated with the KSCA. “We haven’t received any complaints about corruption from any contractors. No minister has demanded commission so far. The group that is making these allegations has no connection with us,” he said. He urged those making the claims to come forward with credible evidence to enable a proper investigation.
Minister Shivakumar, meanwhile, dismissed the accusations, labelling them part of a larger political conspiracy.
KSCA previously stirred controversy when it accused the previous Basavaraj Bommai government of soliciting 40% bribes for projects. These allegations are believed to have contributed to the BJP’s loss in the recent state elections. Kempanna was briefly arrested by the police following a defamation case filed by then BJP Minister of Horticulture, Munirathna.
KSCA had also expressed strong opposition to the Urban Development Department’s recent plan to establish four Special Investigation Teams (SITs) to investigate projects carried out under the BBMP for the last four years. Kempanna argued that probing projects dating back four years is unwarranted and that such investigations would have been more meaningful if conducted within a shorter time frame.