SHILLONG: The BJP’s Meghalaya unit on Tuesday urged the state government to revisit tender eligibility norms after Public Health Engineering (PHE) projects worth nearly Rs 1,900 crore were awarded to Hyderabad-based BAC Infratech Pvt Ltd.
The party said the issue was not about the transparency of the tendering process itself, but whether the existing eligibility conditions were unintentionally preventing local contractors from participating in major infrastructure projects.
Addressing reporters, BJP Meghalaya spokesperson Mariahom Kharkrang said the PHE Department had clarified that the process was conducted transparently, but stressed that the broader concern centred on access and opportunity for local firms.
“If the tender conditions are structured in a way that excludes local contractors, then our own people are being denied opportunities,” Kharkrang said. He said the matter becomes more important at a time when Meghalaya continues to face unemployment challenges and local entrepreneurs are attempting to enter larger infrastructure sectors.
According to Kharkrang, substantial capital investment is flowing into Meghalaya through central government support, and local contractors should benefit wherever possible. He further argued that many large contracts awarded to outside firms are eventually subcontracted to local contractors, indicating that local firms already possess the capability to execute such works.
“If local contractors are capable of executing these works as subcontractors, there is no reason they should not be allowed to bid directly,” he said.
On demands from pressure groups seeking an independent inquiry into the allotment of the contracts, the BJP leader stopped short of supporting such calls and instead focused on policy reform.
“It may well be a transparent process, but if the eligibility conditions are excessively stringent, then the government must review them,” he added.
Kharkrang also suggested that projects spread across multiple locations should be divided into smaller packages to allow greater participation from local contractors.
“These are not single mega engineering projects like dam construction. Many components are spread across different areas, with individual works valued at Rs 20 crore, Rs 80 crore and so on,” he said.
The issue has triggered reactions from pressure groups, opposition parties and contractors’ bodies, especially over the allotment of key water supply projects, including the escalated New Shillong Township Water Supply Scheme, to an outside firm.
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The Meghalaya PHE Contractors Association recently stated that local contractors are fully capable of handling large-scale projects if current eligibility conditions are relaxed. The association clarified that it was not opposed to contracts being awarded to outside companies, but argued that conditions such as high turnover requirements and prior experience matching project value effectively exclude local firms from participating.
It also said the issue had already been raised with the state government, requesting that the remaining components of the New Shillong Township Water Supply Scheme (Phase II) be distributed among local contractors according to their capacities.
The association further recalled that under previous PHE administrations, projects were often divided into smaller packages and successfully executed by local contractors.