Shillong: The Khasi Jaintia Government Contractors and Suppliers Association is pressing the Meghalaya government to release at least half of the Rs 900 crore in pending bills tied to the Jal Jeevan Mission. Association representatives met with Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma this week to detail the financial strain these delays have placed on local firms.
Vice-president FD Ramsiej noted that the payment holdups stem from complex compliance requirements mandated by the Union Ministry, which the Public Health Engineering department is currently working to address. Chief Minister Sangma pledged to discuss these issues with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the upcoming NITI Aayog meeting on June 11. He also promised to coordinate with PHE Minister Marcuise N Marak to speed up the disbursement process.
Beyond the immediate payment crisis, the association expressed concerns regarding current tendering practices. They argued that the package system used by the Public Works Department excludes smaller local firms that lack the capital to compete for massive contracts. To promote a fairer landscape, the group is urging the government to adopt smaller project components and increase transparency by ending the practice of issuing road works without formal sanction orders.
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