Govt urged to release pending bills
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 30 2024: The All Manipur Contractors' Association Forum (AMCAF) has urged the Government to release the pending bills for different projects which were executed under the Public Works Department (PWD) before the Ningol Chakkouba festival which falls on November 3 .

The demand was raised during a sit-in protest staged by AMCAF in front of PWD office at Khoyathong today.

AMCAF is a conglomerate of All Tribal Contractors' Forum (ATCF), Manipur Hill and Plain Contractors' Association (MHPCA) and All Manipur PWD Contractors' Association (AMPW- DCA) .

Speaking to the media on the sideline, Forum convenor Thangjam Somorendro said that the Budget for the Works Department approved for 2024-25 in the last Assembly session was Rs 1978 crore.

Saying that the Government can release the pending bills for the contractors from the amount (Rs 1978 crore), he added that the relevant authorities, however, haven't started any process to release the bills.

The Government has already released Rs 2 crore each for works executed through the 60 MLAs, he said accusing the Government of wrongfully withholding their bills.

The Government should not favour a group of contractors over others, Somorendro added.

He also said that processing of files for the works executed and releasing of bills should be done in a systematic order.

Further stating that they have to pay the wages for workers and for renting machinery, Somorendro urged the Government to release the pending bills before the Ningol Chakkouba festival.

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