AP’s Third Wave Preparation Runs Into Hurdles

The bad financial condition of the Andhra Pradesh government is hitting the COVID measures as well. We have seen and read how the contractors are not interested in taking up the various road and other contracts in Andhra Pradesh after the government is sitting on bills for months together without clearing them.

The situation is similar almost everywhere. The government has so far called tenders five times for setting up an oxygen plant with 6500 LPM capacity in Gudur which will cater to the needs of seven government hospitals. There is no response from the contractors for the first four times and the tenders were now floated for the fifth time.

The officials have called the contractors and personally assured them about the release of bills but they are not convinced given the state of affairs in the state. The government claims to be preparing for a possible third wave but these kinds of problems almost in the districts will hinder the preparation.

Except for salaries, pensions, interests, and welfare schemes, Andhra Pradesh Government is barely making any allotments. Despite going for massive loans, the government could not accommodate the bills and so, almost all contracts and development works have been stalled in AP.