\nNGRC-1CU in a memorandum to the chief minister signed by its president KC Angami, general secretary L Pukhato Shohe, vice president S Bendang Jamir and legal advisor Kezhokhoto Savi, said ever since the NPWD and CPWD Code was enforced in Nagaland, allotment of contract works in the State was not in compliance with the codal formalities of the Code.
\n\u201cOpen tender is not done in respect of almost all the works. On several occasions we have been requesting all the departments of the State to float tenders in local media so that equal privileges are given to every contractor,\u201d the union said.
\nInsisting that criteria, terms and conditions for notice inviting tender should be consistent for all departments, NGRC-1CU demanded a standard tender NIT format with similar terms and conditions, which cannot be tampered with by any individual or department.
\nStating that many works were allotted trough table tender in various departments like Medical, PHQ, PHE, Power, Soil Conservation, Agriculture, Irrigation, Vet. & AH and Tourism, the union said except for Urban Development department and a few of PWD works, no other department in the State was transparent in execution of work, either in construction or supply works.
\nThe union also pointed out to the numerous tax deductions from bills of contractors including 4% contract work tax imposed by Finance department, 3% contingency, 2% work charge establishment and 13% departmental charge, in addition to deduction for Royalty and NST and 1% for Planning Department\u2019s charge.
\n\u201cBesides this, huge amount are deducted from contractors for so many other reasons due to which we the contractors of Nagaland are not able to give the desired quality of work or even finish the work,\u201d the union said.
\nOn the other hand, NGRC-1CU said release of bill was irregular with no possibility of rate escalations despite the huge escalation of cost of materials in the market. \u201cSome of our contractors are still working at 1995 schedule and 2004 schedule of rate of NPWD, whereas non-local contractors are safe because they are covered by the escalation clauses awarded to them,\u201d NGRC-1CU added.
\nRequesting all government departments to cancel the contract clause \u201cPayment shall be made as and when fund is available\u201d since the clause was \u201carbitrary and discriminatory\u201d and not tenable for any contract work anywhere in the country except Nagaland, the union also urged the government to take punitive action against \u201cerrant officials who resort to tactics to strangulate contractors\u2019 bills.\u201d
\nAlleging that in the past, almost all departments were biased in awarding contract works to non-local contractors over local contractors, the union said non-local contractors were awarded 7.5% enhancement per year alongwith escalation as per RBI index.
\nThe union reiterated its demand that the rates, terms and conditions of contract including escalation as per RBI index be given to all contractors without bias.
\nOn reports of government servants indulging in contract works, NGRC-1CU urged the government employees to perform their duties and not indulge in contract and supply works since they were enjoying almost 70% of the State\u2019s budget by way of salaries and facilities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"