JKCCC Raises Concern Over Pending Contractor Payments, Raw Material Crisis in J&K
Srinagar, May 19 (PTK): Jammu and Kashmir Contractors Coordination Committee Chairman Ghulam Jeelani Purza on Tuesday expressed serious concern over mounting difficulties being faced by contractors across Jammu and Kashmir due to huge pending payments, shortage of raw material and administrative delays, stating that the crisis is severely affecting developmental works across the Union Territory.
In a statement, Jeelani Purza said contractors associated with various government departments, particularly those executing works under Jal Jeevan Mission, Roads & Buildings (R&B), macadamization and civil liabilities projects, are facing immense financial stress because of non-release of payments amounting to hundreds of crores.
He said contractors working under Jal Jeevan Mission are awaiting payments of nearly ₹1500 crore and have been protesting for several days over the issue. He further stated that civil contractors under the R&B sector are facing liabilities of around ₹72 crore, while macadamization-related payments worth nearly ₹80 crore are also pending.
“Contractors have completed works in every corner of Jammu and Kashmir under difficult circumstances, but unfortunately they are now struggling because their legitimate payments have not been released,” Purza said.
He added that despite repeated representations during the past two years, no concrete solution has emerged regarding payment clearances and raw material availability.
Highlighting another major issue, Purza said restrictions on extraction and transportation of raw material across different districts have badly affected infrastructure projects and developmental works.
The JKCCC Chairman said that while restrictions have been imposed on extraction of raw material, contractors have not been informed about officially approved legal sources from where they can procure material in a transparent and lawful manner.
“If raw material remains unavailable, how will development works continue? We are not asking for anything illegal. We are only requesting the government to identify legal sources district-wise where contractors can procure raw material after proper royalty payments with receipt,” he said.
Purza also referred to meetings chaired by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo regarding the issue, stating that despite constitution of committees, no practical implementation is visible on the ground.
He urged the administration to immediately identify and notify legal raw material sources in every district of Jammu and Kashmir to ensure smooth continuation of developmental projects.
The JKCCC further alleged that delays in treasury clearances have worsened the crisis, claiming that several deposited cheques and payment files have remained pending for nearly a month.
Purza warned that unpaid liabilities, shortage of bitumen, raw material issues and treasury delays are collectively slowing developmental activities across Jammu and Kashmir.
The Committee also objected to the repeated demand for character verification certificates for renewal of contractor cards and registrations, stating that contractors have already submitted such documents and affidavits multiple times during earlier renewal processes.
Calling the move “unnecessary and unjustified,” Purza said professional contractors should not repeatedly be subjected to the same procedures.
The JKCCC appealed to the administration led by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and the government headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to immediately address issues related to pending payments, raw material availability, treasury clearances and contractor registration procedures in the larger interest of development and public welfare across Jammu and Kashmir.(PTK)
