Punjab govt saves Rs870m in uplift schemes

Negotiations with contractors prove fruitful

LAHORE:

The Punjab government has saved over Rs870 million in 27 newly launched development schemes worth Rs20 billion across the province.

According to sources, the government held negotiations with the contractor companies, requesting them to reduce their rates keeping in view the ongoing worst condition of the national economy.

The companies awarded the contracts agreed to reduce their rates following the negotiations.

The government has announced 27 new development projects across Punjab for the rehabilitation and repair of roads, following which more than 100 companies participated in the bidding process.

After adopting due process, the government awarded contracts to 27 companies that offered the lowest estimated costs.

Documents available with The Express Tribune revealed that the projects of rehabilitation and repair of the roads were launched in Gujranwala, Sialkot, Narowal, Jhelum, Bahawalpur, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Khushab, Dera Ghazi Khan, Hafizabad, Multan, Sahiwal, Okara and other districts.

After the companies were declared successful bidders for submitting the lowest estimated cost for the work, their authorities also separately gave a undertaking on their letterheads, declaring, “we hereby undertake voluntarily to execute the work at par on the estimated cost”.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Punjab Minister for Communications and Works Ali Afzal Sahi said it was for the first time that contractors had voluntarily reduced their rates while honouring the government’s request due to the ongoing crises.

He thanked the contractors who, according to him, had agreed to reduce their rates as a goodwill gesture or perhaps considering it their contribution for the country.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 16^th, 2022.