victimizing 1,500 small-scale contractors involved in the 'Mana Ooru - Mana Badi' initiative ‌‌- Hareesh Rao

Former Minister and BRS MLA Harish Rao has launched a scathing attack on the Congress government, accusing it of victimizing 1,500 small-scale contractors involved in the 'Mana Ooru - Mana Badi' initiative. Speaking after a group of civil contractors met him on Monday to share their grievances, Rao highlighted that these individuals, who took loans to complete school renovation works during the BRS regime, are now facing financial ruin.

He lamented that some have even tragically lost their lives due to the mounting pressure of debts and interest payments, as the government has failed to clear their dues for over two and a half years. The BRS leader questioned the government's priorities, pointing out a stark disparity in payments. He asked how hundreds of crores were released overnight to large corporations supplying benches and paint, while small-scale civil contractors are being ignored. Rao pointedly asked Chief Minister Revanth Reddy if these bills were being withheld simply because these small contractors do not provide "commissions." He further condemned the government for filing "illegal cases" against contractors who peacefully protested outside the Finance Minister's chamber at the Secretariat, calling it the height of administrative tyranny. Harish Rao also referenced the concerns raised by the Legislative Council Chairman regarding the neglect of this scheme.

He noted that even after the Chairman personally requested the Chief Minister to release funds for school works in his own village, no action was taken. Rao demanded that the government immediately withdraw the cases filed against the contractors and utilize the funds recently transferred from the Finance Department to the Education Department to clear the long-pending dues of civil contractors, rather than diverting them to big-ticket firms.