Chennai, July 1 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Public Works and Sports Development Minister Adhav Arjuna has invited contractors and individuals who claim to have been cheated or forced to pay bribes during the previous government’s tenure in the Public Works Department (PWD) and Highways Department to come forward with complaints, assuring them of legal protection and action to recover their money.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the minister said the present Tamil Nadu government was committed to ensuring transparent, honest and corruption-free governance.

He alleged that the previous administration witnessed widespread corruption, systematic violations of rules and an entrenched bribery network in the Public Works and Highways departments.

According to the minister, influential persons, including those in power at the time, their relatives and individuals with close political connections, allegedly promised government contracts to contractors in exchange for illegal payments.

He claimed that many contractors were persuaded to part with large sums of money on the assurance that they would be awarded contracts, only to be cheated after the payments were made.

Adhav Arjuna said the government had already begun receiving several complaints from contractors and others who claimed to have been defrauded through such practices.

He urged all those who had suffered financial losses or had been victims of the alleged corruption to approach either his office or the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) with detailed complaints.

The minister said complainants could also send representations directly to him through the official email address, minister.pwd.hd.tn@gmail.com, adding that every complaint would be examined carefully.

He assured that the identity of complainants would be kept strictly confidential and that they would be provided all necessary legal protection. The government, he said, would initiate appropriate legal proceedings to recover money allegedly lost by victims at the earliest and ensure that those responsible were brought to justice.

Reiterating the government’s commitment to clean administration, Adhav Arjuna said the Public Works and Highways departments would function with complete transparency and accountability. He declared that the government would not permit the recurrence of such alleged irregularities in the future and that all contracts under the departments would be awarded strictly in accordance with the law and established procedures.

The minister said the initiative aimed to restore confidence among contractors and ensure that public infrastructure projects were executed through a transparent, corruption-free system.

–IANS

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