Dasara contractors upset with delay in settlement of dues

  • | Friday | 13th July, 2018

Consequently, many contractors have incurred massive losses.The high-powered committee had sanctioned Rs 15 crore towards Dasara celebrations in 2017. Under the existing system, funds for Dasara celebrations are released by the Kannada and culture department.A contractor told TOI that officials had failed in getting the government to release the required funds. “If this continues, we will be forced to opt out of Dasara-related events,” he said.Queried about the delay in settlement of dues to contractors, deputy commissioner Abhiram G Sankar told TOI, “The government has many commitments. Some contractors said that they had borrowed huge sums of money, and were still paying interest. However, the government later scaled down the amount to Rs 9 crore.

Mysuru: Visitors to the ‘Heritage City’ during Dasara are often spoilt for choice in choosing the form of entertainment they wish to indulge in – from stage shows to exhibition, there is no paucity of amusement activities on offer during the ‘Naada Habba’ festivities. However, what the tourists do not see is the effort that goes into these preparations. What is troubling is that the efforts of these numerous people, who struggle to make Dasara a success, remain unrewarded.Not only is the government yet to pay contractors for the 2017 celebrations, but it has failed to settle the dues of those who worked during the 2016 festivities. Consequently, many contractors have incurred massive losses.The high-powered committee had sanctioned Rs 15 crore towards Dasara celebrations in 2017. However, the government later scaled down the amount to Rs 9 crore. However, the authorities concerned are yet to release the entire corpus of funds. While Rs 4 crore was released, the district administration is still waiting for the government to sanction the remaining Rs 5 crore.Despite the district administration repeatedly bringing this problem to the attention of the state government, and more specifically, the Kannada and culture department, the delay over release of funds continues.Meanwhile, several contractors are bearing the brunt of government’s tardiness. Some contractors said that they had borrowed huge sums of money, and were still paying interest. On the one hand, contractors are growing increasingly wary of participating in the Dasara celebrations with the government dragging its feet on payment , while on the other, there are rumours of the district administration threatening to blacklist those refusing to cooperate.The district administration has, in fact, appealed to the state government to allocate money for the Dasara celebrations in the budget, which they believe will avoid confusion in distribution of the same. Under the existing system, funds for Dasara celebrations are released by the Kannada and culture department.A contractor told TOI that officials had failed in getting the government to release the required funds. “If this continues, we will be forced to opt out of Dasara-related events,” he said.Queried about the delay in settlement of dues to contractors, deputy commissioner Abhiram G Sankar told TOI, “The government has many commitments. The money will be released. It is only a matter of time. I raised the issue with the chief minister on Wednesday. I have already brought the issue to the notice of higher education minister GT Devegowda, and tourism minister SR Mahesh.”More than Rs 1 crore in dues are yet to be settled to contractors who worked in 2016.- R Uday Kumar

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