In a significant administrative shift, the Maharashtra government has directed all state departments to shut down their independent construction wings, consolidating all construction-related projects under the Public Works Department (PWD). This directive, issued on Friday at the behest of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, aims to streamline project execution and curb inefficiencies arising from departments lacking technical expertise.
Until now, various state departments managed their own construction projects, overseeing everything from design approvals to contractor selection. However, with this new mandate, the PWD will be the sole authority responsible for planning, executing, and completing construction work for all government departments. The decision, formally communicated to all administrative departments, is being implemented in phases.
As an initial step, the construction activities of the Tribal Development Department, Social Justice and Special Assistance Department, Medical Education and Drugs Department, and Public Health Department have been brought under the PWD’s purview. These departments, traditionally responsible for constructing new schools, hostels, hospitals, and staff quarters, must now transfer project funds to the PWD, which will obtain the necessary approvals, complete the work, and hand over finished structures to the concerned departments.
This restructuring has political undertones as well. The Social Justice and Public Health Departments are headed by Shiv Sena ministers, while the Medical Education Department is led by a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) minister. The only department under direct BJP leadership is the Tribal Development Department. Notably, the PWD itself is now headed by Shivendra Raje Bhosale of the BJP, a first-time minister.
By centralising construction projects, the government aims to enhance efficiency, reduce unnecessary expenditure, and establish greater control over project approvals and contractor selection. This move is also expected to limit the influence of alliance partners over large-scale construction projects, reinforcing the PWD as the key decision-making body in state infrastructure development.
Source: The Free Press Journal
