RMC vacancies hit Smart City projects

The Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) with high stakes towards transformation of Steel City into Smart City continues to struggle with whopping vacancies.

ROURKELA: The Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) with high stakes towards the transformation of Steel City into Smart City continues to struggle with whopping vacancies.

Rourkela BJP MLA and former Union Minister Dilip Ray, quoting Assembly reply of Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Minister Niranjan Pujari, claimed that a total of 831 posts at different levels are lying vacant in civic body. The Sanitary Establishment of RMC alone has vacancies of 591 posts and somehow managing with 388 personnel. Three Deputy Commissioners’ posts, one Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Mayor, 10 Sanitary Inspectors, two Assistant Engineers (Civil), 14 Junior Engineers and several other posts are lying vacant, he added.

Keeping in view the thrust on nationwide cleanliness drive, Ray said more sanitary workers are required for Rourkela city and demanded immediate filling up of all vacant positions.While the erstwhile Rourkela Municipality was upgraded to RMC in November 2014, it was selected under Smart City Mission on September 20, 2016. A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) - Rourkela Smart City Ltd (RSLC) - was formed on December 21, 2016 with shareholding ratio of (H&UD) Department, RMC and Rourkela Development Authority at 45:45:10 for implementation of Smart City projects with estimated budget of `2,571.30 crore.
However, the RMC and RSLC continue to struggle with vacant positions at all levels as till January, there were no regular postings to RMC Commissioner and RSCL Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Following a strongly-worded letter of Union Tribal Affairs Minister and Sundargarh Lok Sabha member Jual Oram to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in the first week of January, the State Government had appointed IAS officer Rashmita Panda as RMC Commissioner and RSCL CEO.

On September 4, Ray had expressed concern over slow pace of Smart City projects and said only 10 per cent of available funds could be spent in two years. Ray, quoting the H&UD Minister, had said as many as 39 Smart City projects were planned at an estimated `2,711 crore, adding 33 of the 39 projects were yet to start.

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