BMC spent Rs1.70 crore on hiring retired officers as OSDs, consultants

Moneylife Digital Team 29 April 2015

BrihanMumbai Municipal Corp spent the amount by appointing officers as OSDs and consultants after their retirement. Some were even given extension without permission from the government, reveals reply received by Anil Galgali, under the RTI Act

The Municipal Corp of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) also known as BrihanMumbai Municipal Corp (BMC), the richest municipal corporation in India has spent about Rs1.70 crore over past five years on contract payment for hiring retired officers as officer on special duty (OSD) and consultants reveals a reply received under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

According to the reply received by RTI activist Anil Galgali, over the past five years, the BMC appointed 40 retired officials on contractual basis. "Not only that the BMC Commissioner seems to have gone out of way in extending the tenure of contract for some of the retired officers not once but twice," he added.

NK Kusnoor appears to be the favourite OSD or Consultant for BMC as he received Rs29.50 lakh, the maximum, for his services after retirement. According to the reply received by Galgali, during 1 January 2010 to 28 February 2015, the Corporation deputed and retained services of 40 retired officers. Some of them, appointed on monthly retainership basis were paid as much as Rs50,000, while some received just Rs5,850 a month.

Galgali said three OSDs or consultants got extension twice, while three other managed to get it for one time. "Some retired officers like PV Kulkarni (Asst Commissioner-Special Engineer -paid Rs9.87 lakh), SS Palav (Asst Commissioner- Special Engineer -paid Rs13.10 lakh) and Sneha Khandekar (Director -paid Rs10.47 lakh) were give two extensions by the Commissioner. On the other hand, NH Kusnoor (Additional Commissioner-Projects-paid Rs29.50 lakh), SD Khandare (Dy. Chief Engineer- Planning-paid Rs9 lakh) and Uday Mande (Dy Chief Engineer-paid Rs5.71 lakh) have been granted extension only once," he added.

According to the RTI activist, by appointing and giving extensions to these officials, the BMC Commissioner had flouted the norms. He said, "In a special order passed by the Court in the Dr Jagganath Dhone v/s Government of Maharashtra, on 14 January, 2010, the Court had directed to make such appointments but only after getting the necessary permission from the Government. However, the BMC Commissioner, without taking any permission from the Government, made sure that these 40 officers are appointed."

Galgali has sent a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Secretary Swadhin Kshatriya and BMC's new Commissioner Ajoy Mehta about the appointments.

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