Over 50 employees of property tax department of South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) claimed cash incentives for the target that was never achieved. The SDMC had introduced a revenue collection linked financial reward scheme in 2012-13 for employees of property tax department.
With a view to maximise property tax collection in financial year 2012-13, SDMC had decided to pay cash incentives to its employees if they succeed in achieving the target. As many as 52 employees of property tax department had claimed cash incentives to the tune of Rs 30,28,542 from the corporation.
However, the reports have revealed that the target was never achieved by the employees.
The records show that only Rs 539.91 crore were credited to municipal accounts in 2012-13 while the target was set at Rs 603.25 crore.
The prerequisite of the scheme was that a committee headed by an additional commissioner who is incharge of the department would verify the claims made by the employees to avail the cash incentives. On the basis of recommendations of the committee, the reward shall be approved by the commissioner.
The committee had observed that the ‘entire scheme has not delivered its result-oriented implementation and thus the objective of this scheme could not be achieved in its true spirit.’ Surprisingly, even after findings of the committee, the employees have got the cash incentives.
Farhad Suri, leader of opposition in SDMC has accused the commissioner Manish Gupta as ‘co-conspirator’ in the scandal. ‘Why was the commissioner sitting over the files for such a long time. Now that the issue is out in the open he has directed the matter to vigilance department. The member of vigilance department was also a part of the committee. He is further stalling the matter instead of taking any action,’ Suri said. He has also demanded a police enquiry into the entire matter at the earliest.