JOIN USThe funds crunch in the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has now started affecting the growth prospects of its employees.
There are vacancies for the posts of Assistant Revenue Officers (AROs) in the Palike and the tasks of AROs are now being executed by the juniors. On the other hand, the senior employees who are entitled to be promoted to this post are ignored.
Palike sources said there are nearly 67 gazetted rank posts of AROs, and the vacancies have been filled temporarily by the assessors, managers and reporters, who are Group ‘C’ employees. The temporary arrangement should not exceed six months as per Section 68 of the Karnataka Civil Services Rule but this has become a permanent feature. The funds crunch has compelled Palike not to meddle with the arrangement.
The result is that neither the Group ‘C’ employees presently working as AROs are elevated to the higher posts, nor the seniors who are entitled to be elevated as AROs get promoted.
There is also no effort by the Palike to fill the posts that are crucial for its revenue collection.
Sources added that although the Group ‘C’ employees serving as AROs are doing the job of a gazzetted rank Group ‘B’ officers, they are drawing lower salaries of assessors, managers and reporters.
It was learnt that the Palike is saving somewhere about Rs 11 lakh a month due to the arrangement, while the temporary AROs bear the additional burden.
Leader of the Opposition in the Palike M Nagaraj has written to the Palike Commissioner to address the discrepancy.