Forum bats for local contractors
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, April 20 2023: Indigenous People's Forum Manipur has drawn the attention of the government towards the need for giving priority to the indigenous people while taking up major development projects in the state under the central or the state governments.

Addressing the media at Manipur Press Club, here, on Thursday, Forum president Ashang Kasar said that many development projects are being taken up in the state by the centre.

However, the contracts for the said projects are often given to companies from outside the state, thereby stalling any improvement in the state's economy.

In addition, it seems to be a trend in the state to have contractors of these companies take up the projects, which in turn prevents many potential contractors and labourers of the state from getting hands-on experience or work.

Furthermore, the works taken up the non-local contractors or companies often times fail to maintain quality and miss the deadlines.

Even if the central government announced new big projects and sanctioned funds for the same, the indigenes are not benefited in terms of opportunity or experience, he remarked.

Thus, to prevent these situations, Kasar urged the central and state governments to reserve at least 75 percent of the projects for indigenes.

Even if the indigenes fail to meet the criteria, the government should take up measures for inclusion of local firms, contractors or labourers in the project at all cost, he demanded.

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