SE & Ex EN PWD (R&B) offices locked: Rajouri contractors held protest. Govt failed to release funds for the works completed: Alleges contractors.

GNS ONLINE NEWS PORTAL

SHYAM SOOD 

RAJOURI APRIL 01:–In a surprising development members of various contractor associations locked the offices of Superintending Engineer (SE) PWD(R&B) Circle Rajouri and Executive Engineer PWD(R&B) Rajouri for non-payments of their works bills before the closing of the current financial year.
Contractors alleged that despite the functioning/operational of treasuries on 29th March, contractors’ payments were put on hold as the government failed to release the required funds.
Contractors also alleged that the Government has violated its own order here at Rajouri because the District Treasury Office only accepted claims till 2 pm on March 27 instead March 29 till 4 pm as per government order.
UT Government vide its order (No.103-Fof 2024 dt 19/3/2024) said that last date/time for receipt of claims for disbursement at treasury for the financial year 2023-24 shall be 29th March 2024 at 4 pmpm.
Contractors further alleged that as per Finance Department directions bills worth crores of rupees were duly submitted in the treasuries by 4 pm on March 29 but maximum payments have not been made by the Finance Department.
Due to non-payment of the bill’s contractors, especially small-scale contractors, have faced huge financial loss due to insensitive and irresponsible acts of the government.
The contractors here at Rajouri didn’t allow the offices of SE & Executive Engineer PWD(R&B) to function for the whole day and the employees were forced to sit outside the offices.
None of the senior district officers, including Deputy Commissioner came to listen to the grievances of the contractors and even SE & ExEn skipped from the spot.
Former Minister, Ch. Zulfikar Ali has appealed to Lt Governor Manoj Sinha to intervene in this matter.
In a post on x Ch Zulfikar Ali said: “Contractors in Rajouri in particular  J&K in general are being denied payment despite completing projects. As it is they have to secure huge loans from banks to fulfil tender conditions. Yet despite completing works on multiple projects their payments are withheld under one pretext or another thereby causing great distress to these families. Not to forget Eid too is just around the corner.”.
Mehbooba Mufti has also appealed to Lt Governor to intervene.
Rajouri contractors’ community has warned the UT Government to halt all the ongoing projects if their payments for the completed works were not released soon.