Govt to conduct study for CPWD restructuring, unions oppose

NEW DELHI: The Urban Development Ministry has invited bids for a study on the working of its public works agency CPWD, a move the workers’ unions have opposed and termed as an attempt by the Modi government to “corporatise” the 162-year-old department.

The request for proposal was floated by the ministry in the backdrop of recommendations by a group of secretaries that corporatisation of the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) could be one of the options to improve its functioning, a ministry official said. The official said the ministry after receiving expression of interest will commission a study to come out with recommendation on how to improve the efficiency of the government’s main construction arm.

However, the ministry’s proposal has not gone down well with the workers’ unions of the CPWD, which are up in arms, claiming that it was being done to find “out ways and means to corporatise” the department.

“The CPWD will also meet with the same fate as BSNL. Its employees are hard pressed for their salary, allowances and other service benefits,” a union leader said. NEW DELHI: Members of Public Accounts Committee (PAC) are contemplating privilege action against Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi for “not appearing” before the panel despite being in the city.

Mehrishi was supposed to appear before a PAC’S sub committee headed by BJD MP Bhartruhari Mahtab, but in his place another senior officer from the Ministry appeared before the panel, sources who were present in the meeting said.

The Home Secretary had conveyed to the PAC that he would be travelling and would not be able to attend the meeting on the issue of Commonwealth Games.

Apparently, Mehrishi cancelled his tour and stayed put in Delhi to be with Home Minister Rajnath Singh who returned from Uttar Pradesh after a few weeks of electioneering there, the sources said.

Peeved over the Secretary’s absence in the meeting, the MPS are now contemplating moving a privilege motion to the Speaker in this regard.

The meeting was held to examine actions taken on the Comptroller and Auditor-general report on alleged irregularities in conducting the Commonwealth Games, a source said.

Barring Mehrishi, all other senior officials including -CBI Director, officials of Delhi Development Authority, New Delhi Municipal Corporation and top officials of Delhi Police attended the meeting, sources added.