Bawankule Pushes for Quality Audit By VNIT Of All ZP Works

Time of India

2 days ago

Nagpur: To improve the standard of development work in rural areas, guardian minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule announced that a quality control policy will soon be implemented for projects under the zilla parishad.
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Speaking at a review meeting on Monday, Bawankule emphasised strict enforcement to ensure accountability and better use of govt funds.
Over the past five years, the zilla parishad has spent over Rs1,000 crore on various development projects in Nagpur district. These include infrastructure such as roads, school classrooms, and sanitation facilities. However, concerns were repeatedly raised about substandard work and the use of low-quality materials.
Minister of state for finance and agriculture Ashish Jaiswal also criticised the poor condition of govt buildings, pointing out that despite budget allocations, their quality often does not reflect the investment. "The quality work can't be seen in the completed structures," he said, calling for immediate corrective measures.
A major point of contention was the use of paver blocks in road construction in rural areas.
Bawankule expressed dissatisfaction with the widespread use of old paver blocks and ordered that no new roads be constructed using them. Instead, he recommended roads be built to the standard of those in Ramtek.
In a significant move, Bawankule directed that all development work carried out over the past three years be audited by a third party — VNIT (Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology) — to assess quality and identify gaps.
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He further instructed that future funds be prioritised for essential sectors such as healthcare, education, sanitation, and clean drinking water. Local representatives were asked to decide funding priorities based on community trust and necessity, ensuring development projects genuinely serve public interest.