After CM KCR’s call for faster work, reorganisation of departments begins

The Roads and Buildings department is proposing to slash the circle jurisdiction of each Superintendent Engineer from the existing 2,500 km to 1,500 km.

Hyderabad: To expedite works at the ground level and to ensure efficiency and more accountability, a major reorganization of the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development and the Roads & Buildings departments is being worked out with special focus on devolution of powers to officials.

This comes in the wake of directions from Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao to expedite works, particularly in rural areas of the State.

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Accordingly, the departments are now chalking out action plans on the proposed reorganization, especially for cutting down jurisdiction limits, delegation of powers and other aspects.

The Roads and Buildings department is proposing to slash the circle jurisdiction of each Superintendent Engineer from the existing 2,500 km to 1,500 km. Similarly, the division circle limit is being planned to be reduced from 1,100 km to 800 km. This would help in better monitoring and execution of works, including repairs effectively without taking much time, said a senior official from the department.

Roads and Buildings Minister V Prashanth Reddy has already held a meeting with the officials on the action plan, which is being prepared as per the roadmap laid out by the Chief Minister.

In terms of devolution of powers, the department is also planning to delegate specific budget works to different level officials.

Similarly, the Panchayat Raj and Rural department is also working out its reorganization action plan. Under this initiative, steps were being taken up to ensure one Superintendent Engineer (SE) is deployed in each district. The idea was to ensure one SE covers about six to seven assembly constituencies. To expedite road works, the department is mooting allocation of powers to SEs, DEs and AE to prepare estimates and sanction the works at respective level, as was being done in the irrigation department.

At present, in the PR&RD department engineering section, there is only one Engineer-in Chief and one Chief Engineer. To ensure there is better administrative convenience, the department is proposing employing two more Chief Engineers.

All these action plans would be submitted to the government shortly. During the Cabinet meeting, these plans would be discussed and approved, officials said.