PWD falls short in utilizing contingency charge
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 24, 2013
Even though PWD has been deducting 3 per cent from all bills released to contractors for construction/repairing of State Highways, Major District Roads, Other District Roads and Inter Village Roads as contingency charge, the department is unable to utilise this amount in any purposeful manner.
According to official sources in PWD, the total length of State Highways, MDRs, ODRs and IVRs under PWD is around 12,628 Kms.
For repairing these roads, the Government has been releasing funds every year.
For the current financial year 2012-13, preparation of work orders for repairing roads is nearing completion with around Rs 70 crores already released.
The contingency charge of 3 per cent should be utilised by the department for transfer of documents and other purposes related with the contract works.
The contingency charge may also be utilised in purchasing vehicles and payment of salaries to work charge and muster roll employees.
Again the contingency charge may be utilised in repairing broken portions of roads in case the roads break up before the next repairing period.
Although there are many areas where the deducted contingency charge should be utilised, the contingency charge is never used in any purposeful manner in the last many years.
At the same time, many muster roll and work charge employees have not been getting their salaries for many months.
Currently, the department has been enduring a burden of around Rs 24 crores in the form of pending salaries for work charge and master roll employees.
On the other hand, most of the roads maintained by PWD are facing situation where the roads break up or get worn out soon after repairing as little attention was given to the qualitative aspect while repairing the roads.
When the roads break up, it is the people who have been enduring the plight as the department has no fund to repair the worn out portions anew, added the official sources.