It is not just the New Delhi Municipal Corporation that has fictitious employees on its rolls. Some ceaseless digging by Mumbai-based RTI activist Pramod Kadam has revealed that the municipal corporation in Mumbai entered into a contract with a couple of firms in 2009-10, agreeing to pay a salary of Rs 26,578 each for 759 persons, and Rs 26,199 each for 754 persons. The personnel were sweepers, school peons, plumbers and electricians for municipal schools.
The total payment for this three-year contract amounted to Rs 4 crore every month to two firms. Interestingly, the bank accounts of those who were employed in the jobs mentioned above showed they were getting Rs 4,000-5,000 a month. So, where did the rest of the money go? To the two companies, obviously.
Kadam made a complaint in January to municipal commissioner Subodh Kumar, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, the municipal chief auditor and others. Will the Anna Hazare effect work here?