The Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RD&PR) Department, despite having been allocated ₹39,609 crore in the recent Budget of the State government, has fewer engineers compared to other engineering departments with lower budgetary outlay, according to the Tamil Nadu Rural Development Engineers Association.

Compared to the position of the RD&PR Department, where there are two Chief Engineers (CE) and three Superintending Engineers (SE), the Water Resources Department, with an allocation of ₹9,264 crore, has 15 CEs  and 39 SEs and the Highways and Minor Ports Department (₹21,524 crore) has 10 CEs  and 35 SEs, the Association contended.

The body, which recently submitted a representation to the authorities concerned about the lack of opportunities for promotion of engineers in the department, has called for the establishment of district-level quality control laboratories in the department on the lines of those in the Highways and Minor Ports Department. This has become a necessity in view of over 100 civil works and road projects taking place across panchayat unions in the State.

The Association has complained that due to the failure to create sufficient posts in the department, Assistant Engineers, numbering around 450, “have been forced to work in the same position for over 15 years without any promotion.” It has called for the creation of 200 posts for Assistant Engineers; 100 Assistant Executive Engineers; 50 Executive Engineers; 15 SEs; and five CEs.