You spoke against us inside a building built by contractors , clear our dues first, then talk about blacklisting: JKCCC to Dy CM

• JKCCC Chairman Jeelani Purza strongly condemns Dy CM’s statement; says contractors being targeted despite unpaid bills
• Urges Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to intervene and resolve all long-pending issues of contractors 

SRINAGAR: The Jammu & Kashmir Contractors Coordination Committee (JKCCC), Chairman Ghulam Jeelani Purza, has strongly condemned the recent statement made by the Deputy Chief Minister on the floor of the House regarding the blacklisting of contractors. In a statement issued to the press, JKCCC Chairman Jeelani Purza said the remarks have deeply hurt the contractor community across J&K, especially at a time when contractors are working under extremely challenging circumstances due to delayed payments.

Purza said “The Deputy Chief Minister talked about blacklisting contractors, but he forgot that the Assembly where he made this remark, the hospitals providing treatment, the schools where children study, the bridges carrying traffic and the roads enabling every development activity all are built by contractors,” He added that instead of acknowledging their contribution, contractors are being humiliated publicly, even when payments for completed works are held back for months or even years.

Key Issues Highlighted by JKCCC; No payment installments have been released since the new government assumed office, Outstanding dues for completed works Including snow clearance, pothole filling and works executed under previous administrations, Bills remain pending for 2–3 months in treasuries, halting project progress and pushing contractors into debt, Mining ban, Shortage of sand, gravel and other construction material is making execution of works impossible, Bottlenecks in project execution Land disputes, lack of NOCs and unresolved departmental permissions delay projects, yet contractors are blamed.

Jeealani Purza said “How can development take place when raw materials are banned, payments are withheld, and every project is stuck due to administrative hurdles? Instead of support, contractors are being threatened,” JKCCC Demands; Immediate clearance of all pending liabilities (especially from 2014 onward); Availability of funds in treasuries to prevent payment delays; Lifting of mining/raw material restrictions so that works can continue smoothly; All land, permission, and departmental approvals must be resolved before issuing tenders.

“We urge the Hon’ble Chief Minister of J&K, Omar Abdullah, to intervene and issue clear directions to all concerned ministers to refrain from issuing demoralizing and derogatory statements against contractors. Contractors are not the problem,the delays and bottlenecks within the system are.” Jeelani Purza reiterated that contractors remain fully committed to completing all projects with quality and within deadlines, provided the government ensures timely payments and removes procedural barriers.