ELCOT recruiting civil engineers for CMDA in guise of techies for last six years, say sources

CHENNAI: Civil engineers and town planners are being hired for the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) by the Electronic Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT) in the guise of recruitment for network engineers, IT coordinators and technology coordinators, according to sources.

ELCOT can hire technical professionals like electrical engineers and those with a BSc in computer applications, BSc in computer science or diploma in ECE or EEE for various departments. For CMDA, however, it is recruiting civil engineers, which calls into question the entire process.

What's more, most of those hired are relatives of CMDA employees. They are employed on Nominal Muster Roll (NMR). Also, though the recruitment process is for temporary postings only, the employees have been continuing in their posts for the past six years, according to sources.

When The New Indian Express contacted ELCOT officials, they said the company has the power to recruit 'technical staff'. When, however, it was pointed out that the posts being filled are for civil engineers, they promised to investigate the matter.

Instead of recruiting people directly, ELCOT officials go by the bio-data sent in from the administration wing of the CMDA. The CVs belong to relatives or aides of CMDA employees. It is learnt that Rs 2 crore a year is being paid to ELCOT and the manpower agencies. Advance payment for six months per employee is paid to ELCOT. This also includes central and state Goods Service Tax as service charges.

According to norms, recruitment to government posts is done on deputation, direct recruitment, by promotion, transfer of service, or consolidated recruitment basis. Those on Nominal Muster Roll have to be paid wages per day, which should not exceed Public Works Department (PWD) schedule of rates published in June every year. All these rules have been ignored in this case, sources said.

What is more worrying is that after the recruitment of 131 posts, which had sparked a controversy after appointment orders were issued a day before the model code of conduct, ELCOT is continuing recruitment for non-technical posts under the guise of office assistant and data entry operator.

Association of Professional Town Planners (APTP) president K M Sadanandh termed the entire process as 'illegal' and demanded an investigation by a high-level committee. All this is playing out when CMDA is facing staff shortage. The body has been blaming staff shortage for the past 10 years, including when the Moulivakkam building collapse took place, says Sadanandh.

CMDA sources claim that a salary of Rs 26,000 has been fixed for an ordinary post. But a contract employee gets only Rs 16,000. That many of the contract workers are continuing in the posts for over four years, also violating the reservation policy of the government, sources said.

When The New Indian Express contacted and sought comments on the issue, a top CMDA official said it will be investigated.