Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], March 6 (ANI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Friday assured the Contractors Association that he and PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi would facilitate a meeting with the CM Siddaramaiah to resolve contractors' issues.

Addressing members of the Karnataka State Contractors' Association who are protesting at Freedom Park in Bengaluru, demanding the release of pending bills, the DCM said, 'Minister Satish Jarkiholi and I will together arrange a meeting of contractors with the Chief Minister during this session. We must all come together to find a solution to your problems.'

'Contractors are helping the state, too. We are aware that you brought our government to power. It is not our intention to withhold the payment. I have been watching your president, Manjunath, who gives different sets of statements to the media once every three months. You all should get him a seat in the Legislative Assembly or the Legislative Council. Just as representation is given in the Council to teachers, graduates, and those from the cinema and arts sectors, a seat must be given to contractors as well. That could help resolve your problems. A way must be found for this,' he said.

Furthermore, Shivakumar highlighted the pending payments of contractors across departments, stating that the issue needs to be resolved. He said that Rs. 50,000 would be required to solve this problem.

'There are pending bills of around Rs 13,000 crore in my department, Rs 3,000 crore in Boseraju's department, totalling to about Rs 37,000 crore. We know your pain. Six months before the elections, I had warned you not to take up any contract work in departments where there is no money. Yediyurappa and Bommai kept awarding contracts whether or not there were funds. You took up that work, and now you are suffering. This needs to be resolved. We need to find bonds worth around Rs 50,000 crore or some other way. Only then will this problem be solved,' he said.

He criticised the Union Budget 2026, alleging that the Finance Minister gave an empty vessel to the state. Furthermore, he praised the state budget, saying that it is balanced.

'Our government introduced the guarantee scheme to help people reeling under price rise, spending approximately Rs 52,000 crore annually on it. In spite of it, we are presenting a good budget for the state. Today, the Chief Minister presented a balanced budget. The BJP had already picked up an empty vessel yesterday. What did Nirmala Sitharaman give in the Union Budget? She gave an empty pot (chombu). They said nothing at that time. Did they actually release the Rs 5,300 crore announced in the budget for the Bhadra Upper Krishna project?' he questioned.

Concluding his remarks, the DCM urged the Central Government to fix meetings with the State Government instead of giving media statements.

'They have not given funds for Bengaluru's development. Regardless of what they do, we must do our duty. You cannot leave us, and we cannot leave you. Stop giving statements to the media - it may make news for a day but serves no other purpose. Come to us and discuss how we can arrange funds and resolve the issue. I, Satish Jarkiholi, and Boseraju have come here to tell you that we are with you,' he added. (ANI)