Janata Dal (Secular) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Tuesday charged the ruling Congress of mobilising funds for the upcoming elections to Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh assemblies by “looting tax-payers’ money in the state.
Speaking to reporters, Kumaraswamy said that the government has been looting money through bloated estimates of various infrastructure projects planned to be taken up in the BBMP limits. Blacklisted contractors have been awarded projects, he charged.
He said that the government had adopted a similar modus operandi during the Uttar Pradesh elections, where funds were raised for the party by enhancing the estimate of two major works -- construction of retaining walls and removal of silt from stormwater drains. The Rs 800 crore project was awarded to six blacklisted contractors at an enhanced estimate of 22%, he alleged.
Seeking a fair probe into the issue, Kumaraswamy also demanded Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s clarification on the issue.
The JD(S) leader also said that there were similar irregularities and misuse of funds in the pothole filling project. Here, three pothole filling machines ‘Pythons’ were purchased, and a company by the name ‘American Road Technology and Solutions’ was given the work order to implement the project. The amount to be paid to the company was enhanced from Rs 2.85 crore to Rs 5.80 crore, annually. “Nobody knows where these three machines are. Without even using the machines, the BBMP has been raising bills,” he charged.
Kumaraswamy also said that there were major illegalities in garbage disposal works, where more than Rs 800 crore is spent annually.
Published 17 October 2017, 21:26 IST