Gujarat’s New Secretariat To Be Fully Air-Conditioned At A Cost Of ₹110 Crore

The initiative is based on the recommendations made in the first report by the Gujarat Administrative Reforms Commission. Following these suggestions, the government has taken action to implement the new facility.

According to B.S. Desai, Officer on special duty (Machinery and Equipment) of the Roads and Buildings Department, the Secretariat Complex will be fully air-conditioned under the scheme titled: “Providing and Erecting VRV/VRF Central AC Plant for Block No. 1 to 14 at New Secretariat Campus.”

He pointed out that with global warming and climate change causing temperatures to rise steadily, the government’s goal is to protect the health and efficiency of officers and staff at the Secretariat, as well as to ensure that visiting citizens and applicants are not exposed to extreme heat. That is why the Secretariat complex is being fully air-conditioned.

The Gujarat Administrative Reforms Commission received many suggestions advocating for air-conditioning when it sought feedback from employees and the public to improve the government office administration. As a result, the commission recommended installation of AC systems, and this proposal is now being put into action by the Roads and Buildings Department with the approved grant of ₹110 crore.

Conditions For AC Installation In Offices:

• Procurement must be done through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) in line with the Industries and Mines Department’s resolution.
• Strict adherence to tendering process guidelines is mandatory.
• Disposal of any unused existing equipment must follow current policies when purchasing new equipment.
• Alternatives like rental models, Public-Private Partnership (PPP), or outsourcing should be explored for operations and maintenance instead of direct purchase.
• Purchases should not be made on the assumption of receiving grants.
•  All expenses must stay within the manpower limits.
• The need for additional manpower for hardware operation and maintenance should not arise; internal resources should be utilised.
• A dead stock register must be maintained for new machinery.
• Since there will be no central funding, procurement should be done using state funds only.
• If the approved expenditure is not utilised within two consecutive years, administrative approval will be considered null and void.
• Any changes to these conditions need prior approval from the Finance Department.