MARGAO
Terming the PWD recruitment and promotion system as defunct, PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral on Friday conceded that Junior Engineers promoted as Assistant Engineers and Executive Engineers promoted as Superintending Engineers continue to discharge the duties of both positions due to staff shortage.
That’s not all. The PWD was candid in admitting duplication of work when the files are cleared after receiving the administrative approval, but had to then follow the process to obtain expenditure sanction.
In fact, Cabral was on record saying that around 450 posts of junior engineers and technical assistants have been lying vacant when he took over the PWD reigns last year. He said there are junior engineers in the department who have now got the promotion after putting in 35 years of service. “This has happened because the system pertaining to recruitment and promotions was defunct”, he said.
The PWD Minister said JEs who have got the promotions as Assistant engineers have been asked to continue to officiate as junior engineers since the vacant posts of JEs have still not been filed up.
Similar is the case with the SEs, who have been advised to official as EEs till the posts are filled up”, he said.
Cabral made the observation after Opposition MLAs, including Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao and Cruz Silva complained of delay in the preparation of estimates of road works in their respective constituencies for want of junior engineers.
While complimenting Chief Minister Pramod Sawant for his help and assistance in clearing PWD files, Cabral said he has requested the Chief Minister to cut down the delays in obtaining administrative and expenditure sanction.
