KHAMMAM: Irregularities in categorising outsourced workers are said to be causing a huge dent in the exchequer of Khammam Municipal Corporation (KMC).
Though the general body meeting of the KMC approved 925 outsourcing workers, the officials took in 1,250 workers. The director of municipal administration, on finding that the officials had appointed more than the approved strength of outsourced workers, asked for an explanation from the officials.
The state government recently hiked salaries of these outsourced workers. With this, the workers are getting a 30 per cent salary hike. Accordingly, the revised monthly wages for category-1, 2 and 3 employees would be Rs 15,600, Rs 19,500 and Rs 22,750 respectively for all types of services. However, irregularities were found in categorising the workers.
The workers including office subordinates, watchmen, garden staff, sanitary workers and jamedars come under the category -1 and they have to be paid Rs 15,600 per month. There are 650 workers in the first category in 60 divisions of the KMC.
Drivers, junior assistants, store keepers, photographers, electricians, mechanics, fitters, filter bed operators and lab assistants come under category–2 and Rs 19,500 salary should be paid to them. But, the workers in the category should have diploma or ITI certificates to be included in the category-2. There are 550 persons in the category, but 150 persons in this category are not eligible to get category-2 salaries. Sources said the officials, who were influenced by the recommendations of corporators and political leaders, placed these 150 persons into category-2.
Computer operators, stenos, senior assistants, senior accountants and translators come under category-3. These employees are being paid Rs 22,750 per month. The exchequer of the KMC is allegedly losing Rs 70.20 lakh per year with these irregularities. No effort was being made to check the loss, said our sources.
It is also found that 150 outsourced workers out of 1,250 are getting salaries without going to workplaces. This results in a loss of around Rs 2.7 crore to the KMC per year.
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