Dozens Demand Offline Tenders, Local Priority, End to 4% Commission Racket
Key Points:
- Contractors demand offline tenders for projects up to Rs 10 lakh
- 4% commission on advance money refund alleged; denial issued by administrator
- Memorandum submitted to Deputy Mayor; warning of wider agitation issued
JAMSHEDPUR – Dozens of authorised contractors of the Adityapur Municipal Corporation staged a strong protest at the civic body’s office on Saturday. They submitted a memorandum of demands to the Deputy Mayor regarding reforms in the tendering process.
The agitating contractors alleged several practical problems in the existing tender system. They said the current arrangement was making things difficult for local and small contractors.
Their key demand was that tenders for projects valued up to Rs 10 lakh be conducted in offline mode. They argued that the online tender process was denying small local contractors equal opportunity.
The protesters also demanded that local contractors be given priority in all development works within the municipal corporation area. They maintained that local contractors better understand the needs and ground conditions of the region.
In addition, the contractors alleged that a commission of 4 percent was being extracted on refunds of earnest money deposited before the tendering process. They said this practice was causing them financial losses and affecting transparency.
However, the municipal corporation administrator dismissed the commission allegation outright. He said the department would be informed of the matter, and that no official response could be issued until the department’s position was made clear.
The contractors issued a warning that if their demands were not addressed seriously, the agitation would be expanded in the coming days. They urged the civic administration to make the tender process more transparent, simpler, and aligned with local interests.
The memorandum submitted to the Deputy Mayor carried all the demands. The contractors sought positive action on each of them.
