Release payment dues in installments to small contractors: Stop big payments to big contractors

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Ruling party’s stern orders to Finance Department of NMC

NMC
Nagpur
: The development works and progress of the city is being affected due to the pathetic financial condition of NMC. As of date, the main role of NMC is to make untimely salaries of employees of NMC and to defer the payments of contractors. Those contractors who succeed in approaching the senior officials and influential people get their payments. Last week, the Ruling party officials had issued stern orders to Finance Department of NMC to release payment dues in installments to small contractors and to stop payments to big contractors. Within 48 hours of the orders, payment dues of small and semi-big contractors were released and an amount of Rs 70 lakhs was said to be disbursed.

Last week, under the leadership of Vice President NMC Contractors’ Welfare Association Prakash Potpuse, 50 to 60 contractors had approached Mayor and had requested the Mayor to at least release the payment dues of all Muslim Contractors during this Ramzan period.

The Mayor claimed that he has already spoken to President of NMC Contractors’ Welfare Association Vijay Naidu and the decision taken in relation to this issue has also been conveyed to him. However, the delegation which had come under the leadership of Vice President NMC Contractors’ Welfare Association Prakash Potpuse did not seem to be happy with the reply of the Mayor and did not budge from his cabin. The 50 to 60 contractors who were in his cabin reiterated their demands and after that Mayor called the related Finance Department and gave directions to release the payment dues of small contractors (immaterial of the religion or caste). The finance department was directed to release the payment dues of a minimum of Rs 50,000:00 and a maximum of Rs one lakhs.

The total amount due to be paid to contractors (small and big) is Rs 34 crores. Of this the dues of Muslim contractors alone is Rs 5-6 crores.

Some Muslim Contractors alleged that from the time Chief Accounts and Finance Officer Madan Gadge (State Government official on deputation to NMC) took charge, the practice of making payments to Muslim contractors before Ramzan or Eid has been stopped. To add to this during Eid or Ramzan the CAFO Madan Gadge goes on leave without handing over the charge to somebody else. This in-turn causes the Muslim Contractors to face many problems.

However, this time, due to the intervention of Mayor Praveen Datke, the payments of small contractors were released and an amount of Rs 70 lakhs were disbursed last Saturday. This action of NMC has irked the big contractors.