In a first, Pune ZP goes for digital lottery to allot work to unemployed engineers and labour societies
To ensure transparency and counter favouritism allegations, Pune Zilla Parishad has, for the first time, introduced a digital lottery system for allotment of work to educated-unemployed engineers and labour societies.
“The state government wants zilla parishads to allot works below Rs 10 lakhs without e-tendering and through the online system. We have now started the online lottery system of allocating our construction works,” ZP Additional Chief Executive Officer Chandrakant Waghmare told The Indian Express Sunday (April 2).
He said that one-third of the work valued below Rs 10 lakh would be given to educated unemployed youth, and a further one-third of work is to be given to labour societies.
“In the first online lottery system, we have allotted 181 works to unemployed engineers and labour societies. We had received 1,200 applications for the online lottery system,” Waghmare said. The unemployed engineers should be diploma holders in civil engineering or bachelor of engineering (civil).
“Prior to digitisation, the work was allotted through a manual lottery. Interested applicants were expected to identify works that they were interested in. There were regular allegations that the works were not advertised properly, and only a few people were made aware of the works. Several clerks worked on receiving the application and tabulating the list of interested parties. Again, there were allegations that interest in works was not registered properly. On the date of the lottery, the additional chief executive officer spent the entire day in a crowded auditorium preparing chits for each applicant and then drawing them out work-wise. It took time and imposed high administrative costs,” said Pune ZP CEO Ayush Prasad.
Through digitisation, the ZP has helped save administrative costs. ” It has saved time for all stakeholders – from several days to just a few seconds. We have enhanced transparency and adherence to the law for all,” Prasad said.
The software system has been audited multiple times and has all the requisite security certificates. There have been no complaints from anyone about the system, officials said.
“We have documented the process by sharing the videos of the entire process and the software screen. We have ensured the highest transparency and accountability. I would like to congratulate Additional Chief Executive Officer Chandrakant Waghmare and Executive Engineer Yuvraj Desai for their fantastic work. It was showcased in the Zilla Parishad conference and was widely appreciated,” the ZP CEO added.
