Imphal, March 06 2009: A joint body of several contractors' associations has been established today. The joint body christened Joint Administrative Council (JAC) of All Manipur Contractors and Suppliers Association is comprised of the Manipur Hills and Plain Contractors' Association, All Manipur Public Works Department Contractors' Association, All Tribal Contractors' Association, IFCD Contractors' Association, All Manipur Electricity Department Contractors' Association, PHED Contractors' Association and the Manipur University Contractors' Association.

The joint body was primarily set up to mitigate the various problems faced by local contractors starting from the time of pursuing work orders till the stage of issuance of cheques.

Addressing a press meet at Manipur Press Club here today, JAC president and special contractor Th Nodiyachand said that local contractors having been facing various vexed problems right from the stage of pursuing of work orders till the time of issuance of cheques for the last 15 years.

Lamenting that local contractors are unable to work under the prevailing situation, it has become indispensable necessity to be close either to Ministers or high ranking officials or 'able persons'.

Starting from two percent deduction for issuing work order, several UG groups and Ministers have been deducting certain percentages from the total estimated amount of the contract work.

However, it cannot be confirmed whether the deducted amounts reached the UG groups or not.

Recalling that the proscribed UNLF had declared not to deduct any percentage from contract works of estimated amount below Rs 20 lakhs, Nodiyachand disclosed that engineers have been still deducting certain percentage despite the declaration.

On the other hand, the State Government is allegedly working not to issue work orders to local contractors.

Such policy of the Government amounts to starving the local contractors, he alleged.

For a contract work of estimated amount Rs 10 lakhs, the contractor is compelled to execute the work with Rs 2/3 lakhs after all the percentages are deducted, he disclosed.

On the other hand, contractors are blacklisted when the authority thinks that the executed work lacks quality.

Because of all these problems and unfavourable conditions, contractors are facing the harsh reality where they cannot support their families.

The JAC president further appealed to the Government to issue work orders under stringent guidelines and adopt terms and conditions to facilitate issuance of work orders to local contractors.

He also appealed to all UG groups to give the practice of taking possession of contract works in the name of their project works.

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