Mukul pitches to upscale efficiency of contractors and their workforce

Tura, Oct 23: Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma today pitted that efficiency level of implementing departments and workforce should be enhanced to upscale competency and performances.

“If the mode of implementing agency is not appropriate there will be failure of programmes at the field level and delay in completion of project hampers the image of the state”, said the chief minister, while elaborating on the need to go beyond conventional thinking.

Delivering a lecture at the “Contractors capacity building and business diversification workshop” in Tura, Mukul said, “We have to condition our contractors so that they are able to polish their skills and equip mentally and physically to take up work that would ensure better result”.

He termed that contractors in Meghalaya were mostly “first generation” and it is responsibility of the government to facilitate knowledge sharing and motivate them, so that they are able to diversify their business entity.

The chief minister, who has been counseling students, agripreneurs and unemployed youth state that there is a viable space for entrepreneurs Meghalaya. “Business has no competition in Meghalaya and corporate organisations from different parts of the world are eyeing Meghalaya to set up their ventures in the state”, he said, while stating that a delegate from France recently came to meet him at Ampati expressing their intention to set up industries based on agro-horti and allied sector.

Urging the contractors to diversify their business, Mukul cited example of contractors from Andhra Pradesh, who have fanned out across the world and have been doing their business not just in India but have expanded their business to far south in African nations as well as in South East Asia.

“The government has enabled an environment for the contractors to look beyond and they should take it up as a challenge and ensure innovative approach and creatives idea finds it worth”, the chief minister resorted.

He also asked the contractors to create awareness amongst their employees on the government’s welfare scheme for the construction workers.

Further giving lessons on the contract scenario of the state in terms of lack of required manpower and workforce within the state, Mukul asked the contractors that they should employee “engineers” and not cheat the departments by merely filling up names to acquire a tender. “For initiating major contract works it is incumbent that the contractors submits names of their employees”, he added.

He also said that few years ago, the government had to re-advertise for allotment of tender for construction under Pradha Mantri Gram Sadhak Yojana (PMGSY), which clearly states that the state do not have the requisite contractors.

From Our Correspondent.