Karnataka Chief Secy P Ravi Kumar starts probe on kickback charge

A day after Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai ordered a probe into kickback charges levelled by contractors, Chief Secretary P Ravi Kumar kickstarted the inquiry Friday by seeking a report from the Water Resources department.

In a letter to Additional Chief Secretary (water resources) Rakesh Singh, Kumar has sought a report on irregularities found in the tender process or bill payments with respect to all works costing more than Rs 10 crore. Kumar also asked Singh to inquire into complaints of irregularities.

Water resources was one of the departments that the Karnataka State Contractors Association, in its letter to PM Modi dated July 6 this year, has specifically named. The others are PWD, RDPR, BBMP and Health.

The association complained that contractors have to pay 25-30% of tender amounts to elected representatives. They also accused ministers of harassing them to pay 5% before the tender is approved and work order issued. Plus, they claimed that they had to pay percentage-based kickbacks at various other levels.

Besides asking him to probe, Bommai wrote to Kumar on Thursday with instructions on preparing a "specific timetable" for clearances and approvals of all contracts.

"Bills can be allotted computer-generated numbers and Centralised Accounting System can be established," Bommai also stated.

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