IEP Chandigarh, February 4
To ensure quality and more transparency in road, building and other works of the Public Works Department, PWD Minister S. Harbhajan Singh ETO has sought suggestions from the officials of the department.
Presiding over an important meeting here, the Cabinet Minister reiterated that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann led government was committed to ensure the justifiable use of public money, and will bring qualitative improvements in the work of the department. He urged the officials deputed at headquarters and field, to submit their suggestions, saying that every suggestion is valuable for the betterment of the department. Simultaneously, the Cabinet Minister directed the senior officials that the strategy should be devised in the next meeting to implement these suggestions, and received suggestions will be adopted in light of the departmental rules to ensure the improvement in the works besides avoiding any kind of legal hurdle.
Emphasizing on quality control, the Public Works Minister said that the department will consider setting up of a quality control wing at the field level to ensure the quality of works being done by the department.
With a view to permanently remove the deficiencies in road and other works, S. Harbhajan Singh ETO asked the officials to suggest that how to ensure qualitative construction of roads, bridges and buildings. He asked the officials to send their suggestions in writing for adopting mobile testing facility, GPS system using information technology, and supervision mechanism for ensuring quality of materials such as bitumen, gravel etc at the hot-mix plants and road construction sites. He categorically emphasized that fraud in cost price reconciliation (CVR) in road works will not be tolerated at any cost.
While emphasizing to strengthen the coordination with various departments for the ongoing works in the field, the Public Works Minister said that sometimes, the department faces obstacles to get NOC and other approvals, etc. from other concerned departments and due to lack of coordination, the works get delayed. Therefore, to strengthen and make the coordination mechanism more efficient, a meeting with the concerned departments will be held at the state level in a few days. He asked the officials to plan for meeting with various concerned departments and contractors to ensure quality government infrastructure. The Cabinet Minister also directed to use the funds available with the department as per requirement to avoid the fund lapse.
Prominent amongst others who were present in the meeting included, Special Secretary Mr. Harish Nayar, Joint Secretary S. Sakattar Singh Bal, Chief Engineer (Headquarters) Mr. V.K. Chopra and Chief Engineer and Superintending Engineer of the field.
