MLCs Question Maharashtra Government Over Pending Contractor Dues In Mumbai
The Maharashtra Legislative Council in Mumbai witnessed heated discussions on Friday over mounting payment delays to government contractors, with opposition members demanding a white paper on pending dues. Congress MLC Abhijit Wanjarri raised the issue during the legislative session, highlighting that contractors executing vital public works are facing severe financial distress and have threatened to stop work over unpaid bills.
During the session, Wanjarri stated that contractor organisations claim their pending dues have reached nearly Rs 96,000 crore. However, Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Shivendra Raje Bhosale contested this figure, stating that the actual government arrears stand at around Rs 17,562 crore.
Wanjarri criticised the government's handling of the situation, pointing out the contradiction between official claims of promoting the ease of doing business and the reality of contractors struggling to receive their legitimate dues. He noted that contractors executing work for departments such as the PWD and other government divisions are struggling to get their payments.
To address the issue and ensure greater accountability, the MLC proposed the creation of a contractor payment transparency portal. According to Wanjarri, this portal would allow real-time tracking of pending bills and phased disbursements.
Expressing deep concern over reports of extreme distress among the contractors, Wanjarri questioned whether the ongoing financial crisis could lead to further tragedies. He also sought details regarding actions taken against government officials who were allegedly caught accepting bribes from contractors, specifically inquiring how many of these officials had been suspended or penalised.
In response, Minister Bhosale assured the council that payments are being distributed to contractors through a transparent process. He defended the current administration, stating that the system of disbursing money to the contractors is an online and transparent process, leaving no scope for corruption.
