Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU/KATHUA, Mar 9: The dharna launched by the contractors demanding doing away with the PAO system and release of their pending payments entered 12th day today.
The contractors today protested against the Finance Department and raised slogans against the Finance Minister, Dr Haseeb A Drabu who they alleged is adamant to implement PAO system in the State when even bills are not being uploaded through the electronic system due to lack of infrastructure available with the concerned departments.
They said that some DDOs tried to upload the bills from Civil Secretariat computers but they did not succeed. This shows that Finance Department is itself aware of the problem but it is not intentionally doing away with PAO system to harass the contractors and put them to problems.
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The protesting contractors said that till date they have been on peaceful protest but in case the Government fails to revoke the order, they will be constrained to take strong steps.
They said moreover the Departments are inviting tenders which do not have AAA accorded, no technical sanction and without financial backup. This also proves double standards of the Government as per PAO system, they alleged.
They said the contractors under the banner of JKCCC met Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti at Srinagar yesterday and apprised her of whole situation and the problems being faced by the contractors in the State due to imposition of PAO system.
She assured that a positive decision will be taken in three days, they added.
Meanwhile the Contractor Association Kathua took out protest demonstration against the State Government and PAO system implemented by it.
The contractors in large number assembled at PWD office Kathua and took out protest march from there to Shaheedi Chowk. They carried out the effigy of State Finance Minister, Haseeb A Drabu and raising anti Government and anti PAO system slogans.
They criticized the State Government for implementing the PAO system without doing the ground work first and not releasing of pending payment of contractors.
While addressing the protesters, contractor Dheeraj Gupta alleged that the contractors of State are protesting since last one week and office of various departments have also been locked. But the Government did not pay attention to solve the grievances of contractors. He said the treasuries have gone dry and no payment is released so far. How can the contractors survive when they have no money to pay the dues, he added.
The senior contractor Surinder Pal also alleged that there is no crisis in Rural Development Department (RDD) and Power Development Depart-ment (PDD) as the concerned ministers have their direct interference. But the PWD, PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control and Ravi Tawi Departments are facing crisis of funds and PAO system blocked the whole transaction, he added.
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