Contractors across Maharashtra are preparing to launch a statewide phone campaign from Friday, demanding the release of approximately Rs 86,000 crore in outstanding payments. Over three days, members will contact the offices of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar to draw attention to the prolonged delay.
The Maharashtra State Contractors Association (MSCA) issued the appeal to its members on Thursday. As per its schedule, calls will be directed to Fadnavis’s office on Friday, Shinde’s office on Monday and Pawar’s office on Tuesday. The association has also circulated two landline numbers for each minister’s office.
“Payments of around ₹86,000 crore to contractors across departments in Maharashtra have been pending for the past one-and-a-half years. During this time, 10 contractors have died by suicide, yet nothing has moved,” said Milind Bhosale, president of the MSCA.
The Public Works Department accounts for nearly Rs 27,000 crore of the pending amount, while around Rs 38,000 crore remains unpaid under the Jal Jeevan Mission. Other outstanding liabilities include Rs 3,500 crore from the Rural Development Department, Rs 12,000 crore from Tribal Development and Rs 2,509 crore from Tourism. Several other departments, including Water Resources, Water Conservation and Urban Development, also have unpaid bills.
The MSCA, State Engineers Association and Maharashtra State Water Supply Contractors Association have previously organised demonstrations, sit-ins and marches. Their representatives have also approached concerned ministers at Mantralaya, but payments remain unresolved.
Bhosale said repeated letters requesting meetings with the chief minister and deputy chief ministers had gone unanswered. With Diwali nearing, contractors are intensifying their demand for payment.
“No ministers or secretaries are picking up the phone, and no one is showing the courage to answer us. In this serious situation, we will now try to wake them up. Around 300,000 contractors across Maharashtra will call the top ministers’ offices and ask whether they intend to pay our bills,” Bhosale said.
Source: Hindustan Times
