Cut-For-Contracts Routine, Says Telangana Official On Camera, Then Quits

Hyderabad: A municipal council chairperson in Telangana has resigned citing personal reasons, hours after telling reporters at a press conference that it is routine for officials to "get a cut" from contractors for taking up projects. She alleged "the minister" is also aware of what is going on.

In a video of the press conference, Sircilla municipal council chairperson Samala Pavani, looking directly at cameras and smiling, said, "We go and break coconuts, inaugurate, should we not get a cut? What else is there for us in it?"

KT Rama Rao, son of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, is the minister of municipal administration and urban development department. He is also a legislator from Sircilla, 140 kilometres from Hyderabad.

The municipal chairperson did not name the minister.

Ms Pavani said taking "1-3 per cent cut on every contract is a routine matter and is common" across Telangana. She said it happens in all wards across the state, adding contractors and officers should not politicise the issue.

"If they pay up the commission responsibly, there won't be a problem. So many projects worth crores of rupees have been taken up in Sircilla. Why make people unhappy?" Ms Pavani said.

Hours after the press conference, the municipal council chairperson of Sircilla resigned citing personal reasons.