'Stop privatising BMC through OSDs, Fellows'

Praveen Pardeshi

Objecting to the hiring freeze enforced by Municipal Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi, the Shiv Sena claimed that the civic body is being privatised through the hiring and spending of crores on private professionals.

Group leader Vishakha Raut had demanded details of how many fellows and officers on special duty (OSD) were working in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the expenditure incurred on them. The BMC administration replied that it has so far spent Rs 78 lakh on Fellows, the municipal commissioner's personal assistance and a media advisor.

Raut questioned the BMC spending crores on Fellows and OSDs when it has cited a cash crunch for the hiring freeze. There are 15 Fellows appointed in various civic departments who are assisting municipal bosses. There is also a newly appointed OSD in Mayor Kishori Pednekar's office.

The 15 Fellows in BMC are paid a monthly salary of Rs 75,000 each. Till January, the total spending on them has been Rs 11.25 lakh. These are the ones hired by the state government last year under the Chief Minister's Fellowship Programme. Their one-year tenure will last till October 2020, until when the civic body will have spent R1.10 crore on their salaries. Whereas, Pardeshi's personal assistant is paid a monthly salary of Rs 65,000 - total spending so far being Rs 5.13 lakh. This tenure will end in March.

The media advisor appointed in 2016 has so far cost Rs 61.77 lakh. While the OSD in Pednekar's office is being paid Rs 1.25 lakh per month.

"There is no need for these Fellows as they are working only inside BMC's corridors. We need people on the ground who can do supervisory work. The freeze on hiring is not needed," Raut said.

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