BENGALURU : Ironic, but true. Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) chairman’s personal secretary draws a salary of Rs 3,12,002 per month, which is more than that of the commissioner and chairman. The BDA chairman draws Rs 1,26,647 per month, while the commissioner gets Rs 1,34,113, said Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Karnataka Administrative Service officer K Mathai on Tuesday.
Mathai, who retired as a special land acquisition officer, said that he has written to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai as the secretary’s appointment and salary are a violation of rules of the BDA and state government.
“The personal secretary, Somashekhar, a former Rajya Sabha employee, should be suspended immediately and a suitable person appointed. The salary should be paid as per rules. The loss incurred by BDA through such expensive salaries should be reimbursed by officials who are involved. Otherwise, AAP will hold a demonstration in front of Vidhana Soudha,” he warned.
The secretary’s post comes with the KAS junior pay scale, and for someone not from KAS, the salary should be Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000 per month, he said.
Dopar gave nod to ‘illegal’ appointment
Somashekhar has been appointed on the directions of BDA Chairman and BJP MLA SR Vishwanath, BDA commissioner and Urban Development Department additional secretary, he alleged.
The Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, which works under the chief minister and chief secretary, too approved this “illegal” appointment, he alleged and questioned the reason behind giving such an expensive salary when BDA is incurring losses.