Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 24 April 2025
In a significant move aimed at boosting local employment and supporting aspiring entrepreneurs in the civil engineering sector, a delegation comprising Mr. M. Raj Kumar, State General Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Minority Morcha (BJMM), Mr. P. Yogesh, President of Yuva Morcha (Port Blair City), and Mr. Vipin Jackob, Mandal President of Prothrapur Mandal of BJP, recently met with the Chief Secretary of the Andaman and Nicobar Administration to discuss the urgent need for resuming the contractor enlistment system under the Andaman Public Works Department (APWD).
The delegation submitted a formal representation highlighting the adverse impact of the discontinuation of the enlistment system, which previously enabled unemployed civil engineers—both diploma and degree holders—to register as contractors and access small-scale government contracts. The letter emphasised that this system had been a crucial source of livelihood for hundreds of local engineers and workers before it was discontinued in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Currently, tenders are awarded solely based on previous contractor experience, effectively sidelining fresh engineering graduates who lack practical contracting history. “The absence of major industries in the islands has left unemployed engineers with limited avenues. Reviving the enlistment system would not only create opportunities for them but also strengthen the local economy that heavily depends on the civil construction sector,” Mr. Raj Kumar stated in the memorandum.
The letter also underscored the importance of regulation in the construction sector, noting that the enlistment framework had served as a vital check on unfair trade practices. Without it, the delegation warned, contractors remain largely unregulated.
They urged the Chief Secretary to issue directives to APWD authorities to reinstate the enlistment process, taking into account both the experience and financial capacity of contractors.
The representation was also forwarded to the Hon’ble Lt. Governor, the Secretary of APWD, and the Chief Engineer for further consideration and necessary action.