VIDC five-work cap on contractors: Relaxation proposal in progress at govt level

Nagpur: The state government confirmed that the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC) has restricted contractors to a maximum of five simultaneous works, and clarified that this restriction does not apply to other water resources corporations in the state. The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly was informed on Friday that a proposal to relax this ceiling is under consideration.Water resources minister Girish Mahajan said the restriction was formalised through a VIDC circular dated March 5, 2019. The circular specified that a single contractor or a joint venture consortium cannot hold more than five works with the corporation at any given time.Chimur MLA Bunty Bhangdiya, through a starred question, raised the issue, asking whether the cap was exclusive to VIDC and whether it was disadvantaging local contractors. He alleged that the restriction was leading to outside contractors cornering development works in Vidarbha.Mahajan said the matter was taken up with the chief minister. He added that VIDC had issued a letter dated June 5, 2024, forwarding a proposal to the govt for relaxing the five-work ceiling, and that action on the proposal was in progress.The minister, however, did not indicate a timeline for a final order or state whether the proposal had received clearance from the finance department.