Chennai: The Tamilnadu PWD Engineering Contractors Association today urged Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami to fulfil their five-point charter of demands to sustain the livelihood of the small contractors.
Association president S Gunamani, who had taken steps to revive the Association after a gap of five years by appointing new office-bearers, wanted the State government to scrap the packaged tender system as it affects the livelihood of more than 13,000 small contractors.
Stating that package tender system only benefits big contractors as the value of contracts were to the tune of several crores, he said the small contractors, who executed projects valued at a few lakhs, were badly affected.
Hence, Palaniswami, who is holding the PWD portfolio, should take immediate steps to cancel the packaged tender system and revert back to the old tender system and protect the lives of the small contractors. Gunamani also urged the Chief Minister to take steps to ensure that all contractors were duly registered with the government.