Govt struggles to implement SC,ST quota

The government has reserved 21 per cent contract for SCs and two per cent for STs. The order,which was issued on June 30,was applicable to all government departments,corporations,authorities,boards and bodies under government control.

While the PWD has asked its chief engineers,superintending engineers and executive engineers to implement the order,there has been little progress on the ground.

“We are in the process of identifying works at the district level under this category,” said Engineer-in-Chief T Ram — the nodal officer for the implementation of the scheme. He said that patch works,labour supply,village roads and painting of roads could be included in the scheme,but proper execution of the scheme would take about two months. “I will get suggestions from all other departments,” Ram added.

S N Ram,Chief Engineer of the UP Housing Development Board,said there was little scope for contract works up to Rs 5 lakh in his organisation. “But we are preparing a list of tenders that were invited for works valued up to Rs 5 lakh in the last three years,” he added.

The Jal Nigam takes up works like the installation of hand pumps,which could be covered by the scheme.

“We require a bank solvency certificate of only Rs 30,000 to award works of D category. There is no need for experience for bagging such tenders,” an official said.

Chief Engineer Brijendra Pratap Singh said instructions have been given to officials at the ground level. He had no information about the progress of the scheme,but said: “We would monitor it monthly.”

The scenario in the UP State Bridge Corporation isn’t encouraging. “We require steel and cement for construction of bridges. Materials are directly supplied by manufacturing companies,” said an official. He added that the corporation had no registered contractors and “all works are done by the department”.

“Panch lakh ka theka,pachas hazar ke vigyapan?” — this remark by an official of the UP Rajkiya Nirman Nigam summed up another problem — every tender has to be published in minimum number of newspapers. Nevertheless,he thought that SCs and STs could possibly get contracts to supply grit and sand.

The UPRNN’s Managing Director,C P Singh,said: “Any government order is meant for implementation and we would do it.” He was,however,not sure about the modalities.

Another official said the system of segregated works might come in handy. “Under this system,we need contractors to supply labour — both skilled and unskilled,” he added.