Jammu, Oct 27: In a novel scheme to generate employment in Jammu and Kashmir, the state government has raised 120 self-help groups, comprising of 950 jobless engineers, and directed that they be involved in government construction work. Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has ordered that jobless engineers be involved in government construction work, an official spokesman said here today. "The departments of road and buildings, public health engineering, irrigation and flood control, rural development, local bodies, education and power development corporation have been asked to allot construction work to these groups so that they could be engaged in productive a manner", he said. Rural development has recently allotted work to the groups in Srinagar, Anantnag and Pulwama district for construction of panchayat ghars and computer laboratories, he said.

The Chief Minister had constituted a core group headed by Chief Secretary S S Bloeria to sort out various issues in the scheme to facilitate allotment of works to jobless engineers in the district. The group decided to grant rate preference on schedule rates for departmental works. Similarly, for non-government works, rate preference would be given over the lowest tender rates offered.

The Chief Minister has appointed his Principal Secretary as the monitoring authority for implementation of this scheme.

Bureau Report