Cabinet committee should monitor infra projects: Governor

Mumbai, Jan 13 (PTI) A Cabinet Committee should monitorthe progress of infrastructure projects, particularly those inthe sectors of power, irrigation, public works and watersupply and sanitation, on a periodic basis, MaharashtraGovernor K Sankaranarayan said today.

The Governor also called for close coordination betweenall State departments dealing with infrastructure forachieving higher economic growth rate.

He was speaking at a function to felicitate engineersfrom the infrastructure departments of the State Government,in Prabhadevi here.

On the irrigation projects lying incomplete for want offunds, the Governor noted said the tendency of starting newprojects by allocating a small token amount of budgetaryprovision was financially unsound and needs to be discouraged.

This, according to him, creates huge liability on limitedresources.

Mentioning that the State cannot afford to havediscontent among citizens in rural and semi urban areas due toload shedding, the Governor called for communication betweenpower distributors and power users to avoid conflicts.

The Governor called upon State engineers to deviseinnovative, simple and sustainable practices whileimplementing projects.

He also advised engineers not to develop "too muchfriendship with contractors".

Chief Minister Privithviraj Chavan, Deputy Chief MinisterAjit Pawar and PWD Minister Chhagan Bhujbal were present onthe occasion. .

Chavan said that like the IAS officers, there should be in-service training programmes for engineers where theirknowledge could be updated.

"If required, the engineers should be sent abroad fortraining in the best institutions," he said.