More hands on less jobs: BBMP facing trouble

BANGALORE: Looks like the city civic body which complains of lack of funds, is not aware of what the body is spending funds on. The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike has employed more staff for fewer posts and is bearing the expenses of the additional staff. In the recent BBMP council meeting, Chickpet councillor and BBMP’s Accounts Standing Committee chairman A L Shivakumar had mentioned that excess staff were serving the Palike. Shivakumar said that according to Central Audit General report (2007-08), BBMP has 16,638 sanctioned posts, as against the 19,967 posts, and BBMP was bearing the cost of 3,249 people’s salary and other expenses. He added that, however, State Audit report (2008-09) says that BBMP has 20,954 sanctioned posts. “As per the details given by BBMP DC (Admin), there are only 17,958 posts, though these numbers keep changing. There is no proper data available with Palike about the exact number of staff working presently,” he said. Shivakumar had reportedly written to the former BBMP commissioner Siddaiah. “Based on audit reports, I have been writing to all the zonal offices for the past one year. So far, no one has replied.” He added that many departments are over-staffed. For instance, 464 drivers have been working when there are only 250 BBMP vehicles on road. “The additional drivers do not work on shift basis. What is the need for the extra 214 drivers,” he questioned. As per 2011-12, there are 31 employees working in major works department. He demands, “Presently, there are two major works going on, but we have 31 workers, most of them engineers. What is the need for excess workers?”However, BBMP deputy commissioner (Admin),  Chikkamuniyappa said there was a need for more workers. He said, government has sanctioned 19,205 posts, while only 10,952 people are working. There are lot of vacancies to be filled. Though finance department has agreed to fill 4,000 pourakarmikas (sweepers), there are many posts lying vacant. It can be recalled that Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) became Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in 2007 by merging 100 wards with 7 City Municipal Councils: Rajarajeshwari, Dasarahalli, Bommanahalli, Krishnarajapuram, Mahadevapura, Byatarayanapura and Yelahanka, Town Municipal Council -Kengeri and 111 villages around Bangalore. Number of wards increased to 198 wards and area of administration increased from 500 square kms to 800 square km.Chikkamuniyappa alleged that government sanctioned 1,108 posts and later 101 posts, when the department had demanded for 4,500 posts.