The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : PWD schedule of rates released

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Tamil Nadu - Chennai

PWD schedule of rates released

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: “For the first time in the 150-year history of the Public Works Department, the schedule of rates is being released ahead of April 1,” PWD Minister Durai Murugan said on Friday

The publication fixes the rates PWD will pay to contractors for construction and related works. The PWD schedule is followed by other departments.

The document takes a lot of time to get ready. “There were times when the schedule was released in August and even later. This leads to unnecessary delay in execution of works,” he told reporters here.

Last year, the department brought out the publication on April 17. That was a record, the Minister had said then. The publication needed to be released on April 1 as it is the beginning of the financial year.

“The advantage now is that the contractor can now be sure of what rates he will be offered and need not keep on guessing,” Mr. Durai Murugan said. In the past they had resorted to “various methods” to cope with the increase in rates. The government was keen to end this and hence the decision to bring out the schedule earlier.

A committee with the Chief Engineer (General) was on the job for the past few months to complete the work in time. This was overseen by PWD Secretary S. Audiseshiah.

“It is also for the first time that the schedule of rates provides for cost escalation,” Mr. Durai Murugan said. In the case of manpower, this was in the range of 10 to 12 per cent, and in the case of construction materials such as bricks, blue metal etc., it ranged from 5 to 14 per cent.

The price of cement was Rs.220 per bag (government rate). For SAIL steel, a 45 per cent increase had been allowed (compared to last year).

Mr. Audiseshiah explained that the State would go by the Reserve Bank of India index that is released each quarter. The revision here would also be in each quarter.

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