Acute staff shortage cripples functioning of Baripada municipality

BARIPADA: Owing to acute shortage of staff, day to day administrative works of Baripada municipality has been adversely affected. As on August 31, as many as 63 posts out of the 152 sanctioned are lying vacant.Even after the situation was brought to the notice of Urban Development department, many posts are still lying vacant.

The existing staff, facing hardship due to shortage of manpower, functions all through the six days of the week including their designated off days and holidays. Residents too have expressed their resentment as development activities remain standstill or delayed.

According to sources, the executive officer post which was held by Subashish Mansingh, has been lying vacant since June 6, 2018, after he was transferred. To fill up the post, block development officer (BDO) of Baripada Sadar Saroj Kumar Das took additional charge of EO from June 14, 2018 to June 18, 2020 after which it was held by Akula Charan Naik for just about 15 days from June 19 to July 3, 2020. The original post has been lying vacant for the past five years.

Contacted, Mayurbhanj Collector Vineet Bhardwaj said, “The State government has asked the IAS officers to hold additional charge of EO posts in some municipalities due to shortage of staff. The required manpower will soon be made available in the respective municipalities through outsourcing agencies on a contractual basis.”

Manpower crunch

Council board dissolved on February 12, 2019
Local fund service (LFS) - Of the total 32 positions, 19 vacant
Non-LFS posts - 120, 70 vacant
Sub-collector P Anvesha Reddy was in-charge EO since July 3, 2020
Currently EO post held by Sub-collector Anya Das since June 30, 2021