India, Bhutan signed MoU for technical cooperation in infrastructure engineering

India and Bhutan in December 2016 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for extending technical cooperation in infrastructure engineering.

The MoU was signed between the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) of India and Bhutan’s Department of Engineering Services in Thimpu.

Under the MoU, the CPWD will assist Bhutan in –

• Promoting sustainability in the built environment

• Capacity building through training of Bhutanese manpower

• Benchmarking in building and road sectors

Besides, the CPWD also deploy engineering experts in Bhutan to achieve the above objectives.

About Central Public Works Department

• CPWD came into existence in July 1854 when Lord Dalhousie established a central agency for execution of public works.

• The central agency was named as Ajmer Provincial Division. It was later renamed as the Central Public Works Department.

• It has the professional expertise in disciplines including architecture, engineering, project management coupled with comprehensive experience in building construction and maintenance.

• In the last 162 years, the agency has executed priority of works in difficult and demanding geographical and climatic conditions.

• It is a comprehensive construction management department, which provides services from project concept to completion, consultancy and maintenance management.

• It is headed by Director General (DG) who is also the Principal Technical Advisor to the Union Government.

• The regions and sub-regions are headed by Special DGs and Additional DGs respectively, while the zones in all state capitals are headed by Chief Engineers.

• It has a pan-India presence and has the ability to undertake construction of complex projects even in difficult terrain and maintenance in post construction stage.

• It had been involved in construction of stadiums and other infrastructure requirements for Asian Games 1982 and Commonwealth Games 2010.

• The CPWD successfully completed the construction of Afghanistan Parliament building in a hostile environment.

• The landmark project was inaugurated by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December 2015.