The State Government’s statement that there is no proposal to increase the ceiling for tender works from ₹50 lakh to ₹1 crore for SC/ST contractors has riled the Karnataka SC/ST Contractors’ Association.
Minister for Public Works C.C. Patil informed the recently-concluded session of the State legislature in Belagavi that there was no proposal before the government to increase the increase the price ceiling.
N. Mahadevaswamy, president of the association, said the State Budget in 2018-19 had proposed to increase the amount in construction works to ₹1 crore. Minister for Water Resources Govind M. Karjol, who earlier held PWD portfolio, had written to then Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa to increase the amount in tender works for SC/ST contractors.
Besides Ministers V. Somanna and B. Sriramulu, Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah, MLAs H.K. Kumaraswamy, Nehru Olekar, K. Annadani, and N. Mahesh too recommended to the government to increase the price ceiling, he said.
‘Put on hold temporarily’
The Finance Department said the government has decided to put on hold the proposal temporarily following the instruction of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who also holds the finance portfolio.
But Mr. Patil’s reply to R.B. Thimmapur of the Congress in the Legislative Council that there was no proposal before the government has annoyed the SC/ST contractors, the association president said.
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