Chennai Corporation may reduce vacancies for improved services

World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank have allocated $15 million

The Greater Chennai Corporation is set to launch various initiatives to reduce vacancies to enhance professional capability.

The World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank have allocated $15 million to facilitate the initiatives to reduce vacancy rate of group A and B cadre. 

The number of employees of Greater Chennai Corporation has come down from 40,000 in the 1990s to less than 14,000 in 2022. The government is set to give its nod for expanded recruitment modality through the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission. The Corporation had submitted a proposal to the government, seeking legal amendment to be passed by the Assembly. The revised staffing pattern for group A and group B cadre has also been proposed for the IT and Revenue Department.

Proposals pertaining to service rules for two departments, capacity building, identification of roles and responsibilities, and strengthening of field level organisation are expected to get clearance from the government shortly.

The civic body will also implement an action plan in this regard. The World Bank has stressed the need for approval of the legal amendments for TNPSC recruitment for Chennai Corporation by this month. 

Currently, 200 wards have 85 property tax assessors and 85 licensed inspectors, which is inadequate for tax collection. As the number of zones is expected to increase by seven, the number of employees are expected to increase. The number of employees in the 426 sq.km of the expanded city has been less than that of the employees in the 172 sq.km of the old city. However, many of the operations, including solid waste management, have also been privatised in the past few years.