Small contractors threaten to lock Telangana government schools over unpaid bills

Issue a 15-day ultimatum for clearance of pending bills related to ‘Mana Ooru-Mana Badi’ works; condemn favouritism towards big contractors

Hyderabad: Small-budget contractors have threatened to lock government and local body schools if the State government fails to clear their pending bills related to ‘Mana Ooru-Mana Badi’ works.

A large number of contractors from across the State participated in a protest at the Directorate of School Education, Hyderabad on Monday, issuing a 15-day ultimatum for bills clearance.

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The government, according to the protesters, has been clearing the bills of ‘Amma Adarsha Patashalas’ but kept the ‘Mana Ooru -Mana Badi’ bills pending for the last several months. While works worth Rs 1,000 crore have been executed, bills for Rs 300 crore were already generated, they said.

Criticising the alleged favouritism, the contractors lamented that the government had funds readily available for big contractors like those handling mega projects but failed to pay smaller contractors who undertook school infrastructure works.

“If the State government fails to clear the bills in 15 days, on the next day we will lock schools where there are pending bills. We will not allow teachers and students into the school. Along with our family members, we will protest at the schools. We have given a representation to Director of School Education Dr Naveen Nicolas,” said Ajmeera Jawaharlal, a contractor from Warangal.

The previous BRS government had initiated ‘Mana Ooru-Mana Badi’ programme in 9,000 government and local body schools in Telangana. More than 1,000 small budget contractors undertook developmental works in the schools.

While some projects were finished, several remained incomplete during the transition period between the governments. Even after the Congress government came to power, several contractors completed the pending works, hoping that the new government would clear their bills. However, they have been left in the lurch, with bills pending for the last several months.