The Uttar Pradesh government has approved a five-fold increase in the financial powers of public works department (PWD) officers, along with a comprehensive revision of the engineers’ service structure, nearly three decades after the last update.
Presiding over a PWD review meeting on Friday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath cleared the proposal aimed at streamlining decision-making, expediting tendering, contracting, and project execution, and granting greater autonomy to departmental officers.
The financial powers of PWD officials were last revised in 1995, despite construction costs rising over 5.5 times since then, according to the cost inflation index.
Under the new system, the chief engineer can approve works up to ₹10 crore, up from ₹2 crore; the superintending engineer up to ₹5 crore, up from ₹1 crore; and the executive engineer up to ₹2 crore, up from ₹40 lakh.
Assistant engineers will also gain limited authority to approve tenders and minor works.
CM Yogi said the reform would reduce delays in approvals, improve administrative efficiency, and ensure greater transparency, accountability, and timely completion of projects.
Civil works limits have been raised up to five times, while financial powers for electrical and mechanical works have been increased at least two times.
