Govt to conduct study for CPWD restructuring, unions oppose

The Urban Development Ministry has invited bids for a study on the working of its public works agency CPWD, a move the workers' unions have opposed and termed as an attempt by the Modi government to "corporatise" the 162-year-old department.

The request for proposal was floated by the ministry in the backdrop of recommendations by a group of secretaries that corporatisation of the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) could be one of the options to improve its functioning, a ministry official said. The official said the ministry after receiving expression of interest will commission a study to come out with recommendation on how to improve the efficiency of the government's main construction arm.

However, the ministry's proposal has not gone down well with the workers' unions of the CPWD, which are up in arms, claiming that it was being done to find "out ways and means to corporatise" the department.

"The CPWD will also meet with the same fate as BSNL. Its employees are hard pressed for their salary, allowances and other service benefits," a union leader said.