TYCM urges Manipur Government to end Minus-Rate Bidding

The Tribal Youth Council Manipur (TYCM), Central Headquarters, has submitted a strong representation to the Governor, Chief Secretary, and Principal Secretary (Works), urging the state government to end the practice of awarding tender works at minus rates in Manipur’s hill districts.
In the memorandum, TYCM highlighted that minus-rate bidding, a long-standing practice in the state, severely compromises the quality of projects and fosters corruption. Contractors often bid below the actual Manipur Scheduled Rates (MSR), leading to incomplete or substandard works, rapid deterioration of infrastructure, and delayed project completion. The Council warned that the continuation of such practices would impede overall development and adversely affect the public.
TYCM demanded the immediate cancellation of all minus-rate contractors and firms involved in hill area projects during the period of President’s Rule. It also called for re-tendering of these works, insisting that only agencies registered with the Public Works Department (PWD), Central Public Works Department (CPWD), and Military Engineer Services (MES), adhering strictly to MSR and standard rates, be allowed to execute projects.
The memorandum raised concerns over the mandatory registration and empanelment of contractors across different departments, labeling it as unnecessary and burdensome. TYCM asserted that contractors registered with PWD, CPWD, and MES are fully capable of handling projects under all departments without additional registration requirements.
Pointing to the higher costs of labor, materials, and transportation in the hill districts, which are located approximately 200 km from the state capital compared to 70 km for valley areas, TYCM stressed that applying uniform estimated costs for both regions is unfair and impractical.
The Council warned that failure to address these issues could trigger democratic agitations, holding government authorities and minus-rate bidders accountable for the loss of public property and the erosion of citizens’ rights to quality infrastructure.