The current year will be observed as Quality Year by Public Works Department to ensure quality in construction of roads, buildings etc. During a review of the PWD’s activities here on Monday, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan directed to pay special attention to quality in road construction.
long-term schemes should be chalked out for road construction in the State. Public Works Minister Sartaj Singh and Chief Secretary Anthony DeSa were also present on the occasion.
Chouhan directed that a high-level consultant should be arranged for ensuring better quality in road construction. Roads constructed by PWD should be of prescribed specifications and constructed within the time-limit. Action plan for road construction should be chalked out keeping future needs in view. Practical time-limit should be fixed for completion of works.
Reviewing the 100-day action plan of the department, Chouhan said that better performers should be rewarded and poor ones should be punished. Assessment of the departmental officers and employees should be made on the basis of performance. He directed that two categories should be made in the department for repair of residential buildings. The first category should include buildings below F type and the second above F type. Repair works for both categories should be ensured by allocating separate amounts.
Reviewing Mukhyamantri Yuva Engineer Contractor Yojana, the Chief Minister said that reforms should be made in priority scheme of the State Government. He will himself establish dialogue with these young engineers.
At the meeting it was informed that a proposal is being chalked out to increase training period to three months and exemption would be given to youths in the fee for registration as contractors in the department. The Chief Minister directed that the proposal drafted by the PWD for holding State-level technical examination should be implemented in all technical departments.
A comprehensive policy should be chalked out regarding court cases by consulting Finance and law departments. He said that maintenance and running of rest houses should be made better and transparent. Public Works Minister Sartaj Singh said that record of work and inspection register must be available at work sites. Besides, a lab should be set up at superintending engineer level for inspection of quality.
It was informed at the meeting that the department has chalked out an action plan as per Vision Document 2018 to upgrade 19,500 km long roads. During 100-day action plan, the department has constructed 251 km long main district roads, 1,135 km rural roads, 19 major bridges and 165 buildings. Besides, 1455 km long roads have been renovated. The department has evolved road statistics software.
Additional Chief Secretary Finance Ajay Nath, Principal Secretary PWD KK Singh, Principal Secretary to CM Manoj Shrivastava, Secretaries to CM Vivek Agrawal and Hari Ranjan Rao and departmental officers were present on the occasion.