Action will be taken if funds meant for development aren’t utilised: UP PWD minister

Directions have been issued to hold meetings at the level of superintendent engineer on the 10th of each month for reviewing financial and physical progress of various projects.

Public Works Department (PWD) Minister, Jitin Prasad warned the department officers that action would be initiated if the budget meant for various projects remained unutilised.

Jitin Prasad (file photo)

“Budget should not be surrendered under any circumstances. Punitive action will be taken if the budget for development projects isn’t utilised. The responsibility of the concerned officer will be fixed too,” the minister said at a departmental review meeting on Wednesday.

He said a meeting should be held at the level of superintendent engineer on the 10th of each month to review the financial and physical progress of various projects.

“This should be done at the level of the chief engineer on the 15th of the month and at the level of the minister at the end of each month,” he said.

“Spend the budget sanctioned for construction works on time so that extra funds can be released for development works for people’s benefit,” he said.

“Strict action will be taken against the officers in the case of negligence and indifference to construction works. The progress of the construction works should be as per the rules and conditions given in the contract and action would be taken for violation,” he said.

Accord priority to road repair during monsoon

The PWD minister ordered that top priority be accorded for roads damaged due to monsoon rains.

He also said that his department will prepare a list of damaged roads, bridges and culverts so that repair work is carried out immediately post monsoon.

After the rains, patch repair and special repair drives should be also launched across the state. “There should not be any compromise on the quality of construction works,” he said.