The Hindu        18.08.2014

Corporation considers 50% cut in workforce

Committee to suggest steps; officials reluctant on proposal to abolish post of tax collector

Chennai Corporation is considering a proposal to reduce
its workforce by 50 per cent. The civic body has constituted a committee
to recommend measures on reduction of workforce in all departments.

Automation
of some civic services and outsourcing of operations will be the
alternative to the work of a chunk of the workforce in case the
recommendations that the committee is likely to suggest are implemented.

The
committee has already begun work. One of the suggestions made by the
committee recently was to abolish the post of tax collectors and promote
outsourcing of tax collection through banks.

However,
the senior officials of Chennai Corporation are reluctant to abolish
all the posts of tax collectors, who have been instrumental in
collection of 80 per cent of property tax last year.

“Most
of the assessees will not pay property tax on their own. Each tax
collector persuades at least 3,000 residents and traders to pay property
tax every year.

There will be a dip in property tax
collection if the post of tax collector is abolished,” said an employee
of Chennai Corporation.

The posts of tax assessors
and licence inspectors will continue to be filled in the revenue
department for assessment of property or issuance of trade licence.

Scrutiny on

The
committee has also started screening all other sections of employees
including those pertaining to bus routes, parks, playgrounds, stormwater
drains, public health and streetlights to explore the possibility of
reducing workforce.

Other sections under the scanner include those involved with bus routes, parks