By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 1 Jul: Rural Works and PWD Minister Satpal Maharaj said today that as the Rural Works Department (RWD) functions much in the same manner as do other construction departments like PWD, the government is considering removing the limit on the amount of projects that RWD may take up.
At present, the RWD is permitted to take up projects of up to Rs 15 crores only. Removing the limit would allow the department to bid for projects of higher cost too in the future. Maharaj said that the government is considering making the Rural Construction Department an executive body for non-engineering construction works. Minister Satpal Maharaj was addressing a programme held on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Rural Works Department at a local hotel here, today, at which he was the Chief Guest.
Maharaj affirmed, “Under the guidance of Prime Minister Modi and the leadership of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the Rural Works Department is doing high quality residential and non-residential building projects in the entire state along with other construction works.”
He reminded that this department was established in the state of Uttar Pradesh in 1972 as Rural Engineering Services Department. The main objective of establishing the department was that of providing basic facilities to the common person in rural and inaccessible places.
The minister disclosed that, in the last financial year, about 5,577 construction works were completed for 59 government departments, corporations and autonomous institutions, including buildings and roads. The construction of a four storey transit hostel costing Rs 405.57 lakh was completed in a record time of four and a half months.
The Rural Works Minister added that, under the NABARD-funded and state scheme, a total of 201 rural motor roads (length 386.663 km) had been completed, from which a total population of 1,54,993 villages in 314 villages had benefited.
Maharaj also directed the top officials to fill the 238 (48 percent) vacancies in the department against a total sanctioned strength of 487 posts of technical cadre and 128 (32 percent) against a total 398 posts of non-technical cadre so that the department could improve its efficiency.
On this occasion, Raipur MLA Umesh Sharma was present as a special guest. He also praised the functioning of the Rural Works Department and promised to extend all possible cooperation to the department.
Dehradun Mayor Sunil Uniyal ‘Gama’, Rural Works Department Secretary Nitesh Jha, Chief Engineer and Head of Department Ajay Kumar Pant, Chief Engineer (Kumaon) Naveen Chandra, former Chief Engineer BS Kaida, former Chief Engineer YD Pandey, BJP Raipur Mandal President Rudresh Sharma were among those present on this occasion.
