CM calls MCD administration 'ineffective'

With an eye on next year's civic polls, chief minister Sheila Dikshit launched an offensive on the Bharatiya Janata Party, which rules the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, on Sunday, saying the issue of "ghost employees" in the civic body was the result of absolute "maladministration".

With an eye on next year's civic polls, chief minister Sheila Dikshit launched an offensive on the Bharatiya Janata Party, which rules the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, on Sunday, saying the issue of "ghost employees" in the civic body was the result of absolute "maladministration".

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"The administration at MCD has become ineffective. The issue of ‘ghost employees' in MCD is a crystal clear case of maladministration. It makes fit case to restructure the MCD," she said at a public function in west Delhi.

Two years ago, a report by MCD commissioner KS Mehra revealed that there were close to 23,000 non-existent employees on MCD's records who were getting paid. It was costing the civic body a minimum of R17 crore every month.

Not naming the BJP, Dikshit said: "Their party has been nurturing politics of convenience and opportunism. Even the high court has taken note of this matter (ghost employees). The public opinion is in favour of bringing substantial improvements in the MCD functioning. The opposition party in Delhi has been organising agitations on all irrelevant issues just to keep themselves in the news, as they are scared of the worst defeat in the next MCD and other elections."

In full election mode, Dikshit touched upon virtually all issues considered lucrative poll planks in local elections, including job creation, public distribution system and development of public transport.

Speaking of her government's achievements, Dikshit said work on Phase 3 of Delhi Metro will start in the next few weeks. "With the completion of this, colonies in Delhi will come closer to each other. Apart from this, a large number of new low-floor swanky and convenient pollution-free buses have been added into the fleet of DTC," she said.