PWD paralysed to take up SPA works
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 13 2014:
The State Public Works Department is not in a condition to take up new programmes during the current financial year under Special Plan Assistance (SPA) .
Briefing media persons at his Secretariat South Block office this afternoon, Works and Transport Minister Dr Kh Ratankumar stated that only Rs 90 crore was allocated to PWD from SPA for the current financial year.
During the previous financial year, Rs 100 crore was allocated to the department and Rs one crore was invested in every constituency through their respective MLAs.
The present allocation of Rs 90 crore cannot meet financial requirements of new work programmes.
There is also stringent instruction from the Planning Department to utilize the available amount of Rs 90 crore in projects/programmes currently under progress, Ratankumar stated.
PWD is keen to repair/develop roads including IVRs but fund paucity has incapacitated the department.
Nonetheless, the department has been working to repair/develop roads after identifying priority areas of each constituency by investing Rs 50 lakh for each constituency through their respective MLAs.
Stating that construction work of Thoubal-Kasom Khullen road has already begun with funds obtained from external agencies, Ratankumar claimed that efforts are on to construct Tupul-Bishnupur road.
Greater Imphal Ring road and Imphal-Kangchup-Tamenglong road have been listed in the work programme for execution with funds obtained from external agencies.
Construction work of Joujangtek-Nungba road is going on.
A proposal has also been submitted to the relevant authority for construction of 95 Kms long Tousem-Tamenglong-Haflong road at the cost of Rs 175 crore.
Meanwhile, the Government of India has sanctioned Rs 13 crore for repairing Pallel-Chandel road but this amount is too small for the particular work.
As such, the department is unable to initiate the road repairing process.
There are certain technical problems to repair Tamenglong-Khongshang road as the said road is not under the State PWD.
Although the said road is under the care of BRO, the State PWD volunteered to repair the road twice considering the connectivity it provides to the district headquarters.
But it only resulted in a stand-off.
That is why, the road could not be repaired, Ratankumar explained.