Shillong: Congress is firing back at the government over a string of Public Health Engineering projects worth nearly Rs 1,900 crore. The party claims the tendering process for these works was rigged to favor a single Hyderabad-based firm, BAC Infratech Pvt Ltd. It looks like a classic case of rigging the rules to benefit outsiders.
Congress General Secretary Manuel Badwar says the move shuts out local contractors who have the technical skills to handle the water supply schemes. He called the situation a clear sign of bad governance. "These things happen when there is corruption," Badwar said.
The controversy centers on why a company founded in 2014 landed major contracts like the New Shillong Township project. Critics argue that the government set impossible turnover requirements to force out local competition, even though these large firms often sub-contract the work back to local teams anyway.
The VPP party also joined the fight, citing RTI data that suggests a pattern of crony capitalism. They want a total policy overhaul to ensure fairness for every bidder.
PHE Minister Marcuise N. Marak denies any wrongdoing. He claims the projects follow strict, merit-based central guidelines. According to the minister, local firms simply lack the technical reach required for these massive turnkey contracts. The government remains firm on its current bidding process.
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