KMC committee to keep tab on overtime allowances

Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has constituted a seven-member committee to examine the reports of various departments regarding overtime duties or working on holidays by employees of their respective departments.

The move comes in the wake of KMC needing to dole out high amounts in paying allowances for overtime or for duties on holidays. The committee was formed after Municipal Commissioner Khalil Ahmed issued a notification regarding the need to form a committee.

"The Commissioner is not ruling out the fact that some departments may be providing wrong information with respect to extra duty done or working on holidays by employees. So he wants to verify the matter. The committee formed is headed by an officer in the rank of special commissioner," a senior official of KMC said on conditions of anonymity. Often there are instances when KMC employees including its senior officials have to work overtime or on holidays to ensure that civic amenities provided to the people of the city are not disrupted.

The committee has been directed to submit a detailed report on the issue by December 15, and also suggest measures for streamlining the process if they come across any discrepancy.

"The controlling officers of all departments have been asked to verify reports of overtime or work on holidays from the committee and then forward it for reimbursement to the Commissioner," the official added. The Commissioner has another committee to ascertain whether proper procedures have been followed for the hiring of contractual or casual workers and the use of hired vehicles for work.

The committee will convene a meeting by this week to discuss this matter. According to sources in the KMC, the Municipal Commissioner is concerned about the reasonably high expenditure from the civic body's exchequer and wants to put a leash on this.