Private partnership in taking up Government developmental programmes is time tested practice that makes Government programmes a success. Just a few weeks back when the Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia gave plan money he stressed the need for involvement of private partners in taking up Government development programmes. But all that is happening in Manipur has turned out to be a night mare for private partners. Though the construction works have been completed funds are not released. IFCD Government of Manipur took up the ambitious task of erecting concrete walls to strengthen river banks at different parts of the state. No doubt these walls will go a long way in the protection of the banks. Since the construction of the retaining walls the roads running along the course of the river too have been widened. Such programme put a feather on the cap of the SPF Government. A magnificent task that helped the Government returned to power again. But the contractors are putting their hands on the head not knowing what to do. Engineers avoid meeting with the contractors. These engineers too do not have the answer to the pestering question about payment of money. Their straight answer is how can they issue cheque when the funds are not released by the Government. Everybody knows IFCD, which exists like a bird the wings of which have been clipped has the habit of retaining back contractors bill. Despite knowing the fact that the IFCD never releases bill in time and in some cases the bills are buried forever the young contractors joined the massive retaining wall construction programme as it was launched under the centrally sponsored scheme called Brahmaputra Board. These young contractors sought the advice of engineers closed to them before jumping into the construction spree. Perhaps they were told by the engineers that payment would be smooth like the greased wheel rolling steadily on the road. They have been cheated once again in the same manner the companies looting money from gullible people using the name Visarev, Unipay, Forex etc. In the name of construction using the name of Brahmaputra Board IFCD Government of Manipur had put the lives of hundreds of young men in quagmire. Family fabric of these young men has been shattered. Gold and land that were mortgaged to take up the construction work cannot be retrieved with the paltry sum released by the Department that works out to around 30 percent of the total value of the project. Some others infused their hard earned money in the construction of the retaining walls. They say stomach aches when they think of the time and money spent on the project. There is a saying you cannot fool all people for all time. In future a time may come when none comes out to take up development programmes announced by the controversial department. That should be seen as a slur on the face of the department. The fund that the department owed to the private contractors of Brahmaputra Board project should be released without delay. Because it is said the central share for the retaining wall construction had already been released by the Union Government. The attention of the highest authority of the land is drawn to look into the matter.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/retaining-wall-construction/
