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Centralized public works in India originated in the mid-19th century due to efforts of Lord Dalhousie and Sir Arthur Cotton. Lord Dalhousie established the Central Public Works Department in 1854, with irrigation projects among the earliest started. Colonel W.E. Baker was appointed as the first Secretary to head the new Department of Public Works. This marked the beginning of the Central Public Works Department in India.

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211 views

PWD

Centralized public works in India originated in the mid-19th century due to efforts of Lord Dalhousie and Sir Arthur Cotton. Lord Dalhousie established the Central Public Works Department in 1854, with irrigation projects among the earliest started. Colonel W.E. Baker was appointed as the first Secretary to head the new Department of Public Works. This marked the beginning of the Central Public Works Department in India.

Uploaded by

VEDIKA VERMA
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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PWD

PWD
History
Centralized public works in India can be traced to efforts of Lord Dalhousie
and Sir Arthur Cotton in the mid 19th century.
Sir Arthur Cotton sums up the early policy of the East India Company
rulers.
Public works have been almost entirely neglected throughout India.
The motto hitherto has been: Do nothing, have nothing done, let
nobody do anything. Bear any loss, let the people die of famine, let
hundreds of lakhs be lost in revenue for want of water or roads, rather
than do anything.
– Arthur Cotton (1854)
PWD
Lord Dalhousie established the Central Public Works
Department, and irrigation projects were among the earliest to be
started.
Public Works Department was formally established in the year
1854 in the sixth year of Lord Dalhousie's tenure as Governor
General.
In the minutes of meeting held on 12 July 1854 the Governor
General resolved that a central agency be provided by creating
an office of Secretary to the Government of India in Department
of Public Works.
PWD

The note recorded by Lord Dalhousie was as under:


“The organization of the Department of Public Works in the Indian Empire will be
incomplete unless it shall be provided for the Supreme Government itself become
agency by which it may be enabled to exercise the universal control confided to it
over public works in India with the best of scientific knowledge with authority and
system. The Government of India shall no longer be dependent on expedients, but
should be provided with a permanent and highly qualified agency to assist in the
direction of this important branch of public affairs. I have, therefore, now to
propose that such an agency should be provided by creating an office of the
Secretary to Government of India in the Department of Public Works. The person
who holds it should always be a highly qualified officer of the Corps of Engineers.”
PWD
Colonel W.E. Baker of the Bengal Engineers was accordingly appointed first
Secretary to the Department of Public Works, this is the genesis of the Central
Public Works Department.
CPWD has PAN India presence and has ability to undertake construction of
complex projects even in difficult terrain and maintenance in post construction
stage.

CPWD had been involved in construction of stadiums and other infrastructure


requirements for Asian Games 1982 and Commonwealth Games 2010.
Zeal and spirit of endeavor of CPWD officers have taken the organization
beyond national boundaries. CPWD had also constructed the Afghan
Parliament Building.
State Public Works Departments in India

• Karnataka Public Works Department[7]


• Kerala Public Works Department[8]
• Tamil Nadu Public Works Department[9]
• Maharashtra Public Works Department[10]
• Roads and Buildings Department, Gujarat[11]
• Delhi Public Works Department[12]
• Madhya Pradesh Public Works Department[13]
• West Bengal Public Works Department[14]
• Rajasthan Public Works Department[15]
• Uttarakhand Public Works Department[16]
• Uttar Pradesh Public Works Department[17]

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