The Karnataka SC/ST Contractors’ Association plans to stage a protest outside the residence of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister K.S. Eshwarappa in Bengaluru in the next few days if Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Ltd. (KRIDL) failed to provide contract works to SC/ST contractors as per the law mandated by the State government.
In a release, N. Mahadevaswamy, president of the association, alleged that KRIDL has not been giving work to SC/ST contractors. As per the rule, the government and KRIDL have to follow reservation in allocation of contract works below ₹50 lakh. But, KRIDL has been violating the law and denying works to SC/ST contractors, he alleged.
The association submitted a petition to Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa urging the government to increase the amount of contract work under the reserved category from ₹50 lakh to ₹1 crore. But the government had not acted on this, Mr. Mahadevaswamy said.
Though the association members met Social Welfare Minister B Sriramulu to address their grievances, the minister had remained silent on their problems, he said.
He also opposed the government’s proposed move to dilute the transparency law and allotment of many contract works to the KRIDL.
