Decision taken in QAA meeting chaired by CM Saini
Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh–
In Haryana, young professionals will now play a key role in ensuring quality standards across various ongoing development projects throughout the state. The State Government has decided to hire qualified youth as ‘Chief Minister Engineering Project Quality Monitors’ to oversee engineering works, ensuring quality and timely completion.
This decision was made during a meeting of the Quality Assurance Authority (QAA) held under the Chairmanship of CM Nayab Singh Saini here today.
The Chief Minister stated that the State Government is committed to maintaining high quality in development projects and emphasized that any compromise on quality will not be tolerated at any cost. He highlighted that young professionals bring greater zeal and enthusiasm to support the government in achieving this goal. He said that Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) qualified candidates could be hired for this work and directed to prepare a transparent system for recruiting these professionals.
The Haryana Government has established the Quality Assurance Authority in April 2023. It has been entrusted with a multifaceted set of roles and responsibilities for quality assurance in engineering works. These included streamlining and enforce existing quality protocols, technical quality audit of engineering projects, develop standard operating methods and procedures and other quality assurance parameters, empanelment of quality assurance monitors, empanelment of third party monitoring agencies and design and DPR consultants, strengthen existing infrastructure of quality testing laboratories, explore and adopt latest technologies and digital tools , promote the use of sustainable engineering practices and eco friendly materials and training and capacity building.
CM directed the Quality Assurance Authority to conduct quality audits of major ongoing development works worth over Rs 100 crore, to ensure high standards and timely completion. He assured that adequate manpower would be provided to the Authority to enable smooth execution of its responsibilities. Sh. Nayab Singh Saini emphasized that in cases of delay in the completion of development works or projects, accountability would not be limited to the contractor alone. The concerned government officer overseeing the project would also be held responsible, and this accountability would be duly reflected in their Annual Confidential Report (ACR).
Saini emphasized the importance of capacity building of employees involved in the execution of engineering works. He directed that workshops for employees and officers of all the Engineering Departments be conducted regularly through the Haryana Institute of Public Administration (HIPA) or other training institutes. These workshops will help them stay abreast of the latest technologies in the engineering sector, enabling better performance.
Chief Minister appreciated the effort made by QAA
The Chief Minister appreciated the effort made by QAA while preparing the detailed Standard Operating Methods and Procedures and in particular the marking system suggested by QAA for all the Engineering works being undertaken by Haryana Government. He directed QAA to immediately conduct the technical audit and award marks to the Engineering projects. He further directed that all the payments to the Contractors should be linked with the marking system so as to ensure the quality infrastructure. Further in case of any deficiency or substandard infrastructure not only contractors be blacklisted even the concerned government officer also be held responsible. QAA was directed to start the technical audit right from the inspection of the project till completion of the project by deputing the ‘Chief Minister Engineering Project Quality Monitors’ proposed by the Government.
QAA develops technical quality parameters across seven key sectors
Chairperson, Quality Assurance Authority Rajeev Arora apprised the Chief Minister that QAA has conducted various activities to maintain quality standards in development works and projects across the state. The Authority has developed technical quality parameters for roads, buildings, water supply, irrigation, sewerage, power transmission, and power distribution. Additionally, it has prepared standard operating methods and procedures.