The Quality Assurance Authority (QAA) of Haryana on Tuesday recommended linking contractor payments to quality performance and recruiting GATE-qualified quality monitors, even as chief minister Nayab Singh Saini promised zero tolerance against poor quality in government construction works.
During a meeting held to assess the quality of government construction works and the progress of technical audits being conducted across various departments, the QAA chairman Rajeev Arora made a slew of recommendations to further strengthen quality monitoring and project execution.
The QAA proposed to conduct social cost-benefit analyses and environmental impact assessments for major projects, linking contractor payments to quality performance and reviewing the Haryana Schedule of Rates (HSR) every six months.
The QAA also proposed to formulate a policy for ensuring quality and safety in private, particularly multi-storey buildings, creating a panel of qualified structural engineers and recruiting GATE-qualified young quality monitors.
The QAA chairman said that about 400 junior engineers from the panchayati raj department will be trained and that engineers from other departments, particularly the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board (HSAMB), will also be included in subsequent phases.
“The objective of the QAA is not merely to point out deficiencies but to equip engineers with better knowledge and practices so that every government construction project meets prescribed standards and delivers durable, high-quality public infrastructure,” said Arora.
{{/usCountry}}“The objective of the QAA is not merely to point out deficiencies but to equip engineers with better knowledge and practices so that every government construction project meets prescribed standards and delivers durable, high-quality public infrastructure,” said Arora.
{{/usCountry}}The CM, who chaired the meeting, said that there will be zero tolerance for poor-quality government construction works and directed all departments to ensure that every public infrastructure project is executed strictly in accordance with prescribed standards and specifications.
Saini said that the QAA should also conduct periodic audits of construction works carried out by central public sector undertakings (PSUs) in Haryana.
Responding to the shortcomings identified in the QAA audit reports, the CM directed all administrative secretaries and heads of departments to initiate time-bound disciplinary action wherever negligence or violations of prescribed standards have been detected.