HYDERABAD: To monitor and conduct a thorough check of the works being taken up under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), the State Government has given permission for hiring the services of 1,500 engineering graduates as `Engineering Consultants (EC)’ to ensure quality of works.
The orders came as a boon for many unemployed engineering graduates in the midst of global recession.
According to officials, there are no dedicated engineering staff for monitoring and checking the quality of NREGS works to ensure productive nature of assets created. Several departments expressed their difficulties stating that the Assistant Engineers who were entrusted with the task were not able to do justice due to heavy work load in their own departments. This is, in turn, affecting the payment process resulting in delay of wage payment to labourers.
At a review meeting held recently, Chief Minister K Rosaiah directed officials to engage services of 1,500 Engineering Consultants (EC) on contract/outsourcing basis for a period of two years. The cost will be met from the 6 per cent administrative charges of NREGS. There will be one EC for each mandal and an additional EC will be appointed in case the value of work exceeds Rs 5 crore. The officials have been told to complete identification of the ECs and placing the incumbents in the field before December 15.
Priority will be given to Watershed Development Team members/ NREGS engineers who are currently working as Technical Assistants. The remaining vacancies will be filled up with young engineering graduates with the degree of BE or B.Tech in civil engineering, agricultural engineering or agriculture. Only students who passed out from engineering or agricultural colleges after 2005 will be eligible.
The Engineering Consultants will be the check-measurement authorities on the measurements taken by the Technical Assistants.
Each EC will receive a monthly remuneration of Rs 15,000 and a travel allowance of Rs 2,000. ``The idea is to infuse fresh blood into the department and also provide young engineering graduates an opportunity to work in rural areas that will boost their career prospects after their tenure,’’ said a senior official in the rural development department.