'Bring evidence': Karnataka minister Byrathi Suresh slams contractors over corruption charges

In a sharp rebuttal to the Karnataka State Contractors’ Association (KSCA), Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh on Thursday dismissed allegations of corruption and "middlemen culture" as baseless, challenging the association to provide evidence instead of "taking a shot in the dark."

Speaking to the media, the minister reacted strongly to the claims made by KSCA President R Manjunath, stating that the tender process is governed by the Transparency Act, leaving no room for ministerial or official interference. "The law dictates who is eligible based on the lowest bid, technical capacity, and machinery."

"Whether a project is in Hebbal or Mysuru, it goes to the most qualified bidder. If they have specific evidence of middlemen or corruption, let them bring it forward instead of making habitual allegations," Suresh said.

Clarifying the status of pending dues, the minister revealed that the Finance Department has already been consulted regarding the release of funds. He specifically noted that a significant portion of the grievances pertains to work commissioned during the previous BJP regime under the AMRUT-1 scheme.

"There is a balance of roughly Rs 500 crore. The Finance Department has agreed to release Rs 200 to Rs 300 crore immediately following the current assembly session. We will ensure payments are made strictly according to seniority," the Minister assured.

Addressing the contractors' opposition to "package tenders" where multiple small projects are clubbed into one large contract the Minister defended the administration's efficiency. He argued that it is practically impossible to float 1,500 individual tenders for 1,500 small works. "The administrative and advertising costs alone would be astronomical.

We package these works by constituency or city corporation to streamline the process. Officials award them to whoever meets the eligibility criteria," he explained, labeling the association's protests as "politically motivated or uninformed."