Karnataka Contractors Seek Release of ₹38,000 Crore Dues; CM Assures Payments Based on Seniority

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has assured contractors that pending bills for government projects will be cleared in order of seniority, following a demand for the release of nearly ₹38,000 crore in outstanding dues.

A delegation of the Karnataka State Contractors’ Association, led by its president R Manjunath, met Shivakumar at his official residence, Krishna, and submitted a memorandum seeking clearance of the pending payments.

The association urged the government to prioritise bills for older projects before releasing payments for recently completed works.

Shivakumar assured the delegation that around ₹16,000 crore due for rural development and road construction works would be released. The contractors also informed him that nearly ₹14,000 crore remained outstanding in the Water Resources Department alone.

Responding to their demand for payments based on seniority, the chief minister said an order would be issued from Tuesday to ensure that pending bills were cleared accordingly.

Additional Chief Secretary Tushar Girinath and Finance Department Additional Chief Secretary Ritesh Kumar Singh were among the officials present at the meeting.