KL Desk
Srinagar
The Jammu and Kashmir Contractors Coordination Committee (JKCCC) Thursday appreciated the recommendations, forwarded by Subordinate-Committee of J&K Legislative Assembly to the state government to enhance the limit of applying E-tendering from rupees 5 lakhs to rupees 10 lakhs.
However, the contractor’s body hastened to add that instead of the recommended rupees 10 lakhs, government should go the extra mile in increasing the limit from 10 to 20 lakhs. “ We appreciate the amendment, but at the same time, demand that considering the weather vagaries here, the E-tendering should be applied on contracts worth and above 20 lakhs,” JKCCCC General Secretary, Farooq Ahmad Dar said in a statement issued here.
He also hoped that government will give its final nod to the recommendation of the committee, besides give a serious consideration to increase it (E-tendering) to rupees 20 lakhs to relieve the Valley based contractors from different hardships. He added that given the incompletion of developmental works owing to lack of funds and weather interruptions; the LA panel recommendations would go a long way in addressing the concerns of the contractors here.
“We have been demanding it earlier. Besides, we urge the government to do something with the procedure of E-tendering during winters here. As electricity facility gets snapped during the chilly days, it becomes extremely difficult, particularly for contractors of far flung areas, to apply for the contract through the electronic mode,” Dar said.
Hoping that the state government will give nod to the LA panel recommendation, Dar said that it will relieve the valley based civic contractors of immense hardships, they have been facing since the electronic process was implemented here.
“We hope that the state government would increase the limit to rupees 20 lakhs. We want development of Kashmir on the pattern of other states. But as extreme weather conditions leads to extension in the completion time, the state government diverts the funds to Jammu region then. Moreover, our problems were increased by the implementation of E-tendering as when we don’t get the required electricity supply during winters, contracts worth hundreds of crores slip out of our hands,” Dar added.
